Beginning Of The End
by LadyAngelToxicity
Summary: A prisoner is introduced to a soldier of Wu. Will she find her destiny or be lead down a path of deception and death? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Dynasty Warriors. It is the rightful property of the franchise owners. All characters and scenarios used in this story ARE BASED on the Dynasty Warriors Franchise. I do not own them. I only own the character Tiānshǐ. She is my character from Dynasty Warriors Online. Tiānshǐ means angel.**  
**This is the first story i have ever written. EVER. please be constructive.**

**The Beginning Of The End Chapter 1**

_Darkness all around. What had she done to deserve such a cruel fate? why was this happening to her?  
__  
_The girl pondered this deeply as she sat in chains in the depths of the dungeons in Wei`s capital city. As she sat in the darkness a strange figure appeared. An elderly looking man with what looked like a deck of cards in his hand. He looked at her silently before she noticed him.

"I...who are you?" she said startled by the sudden appearance of this man.  
_"I am Zuo Ci. You must be the prize Cao Cao caught in the Nanman lands._" His voice was cold and calm..almost..dead she thought to herself.  
"Yes..i..i am the girl Cao Cao captured...why do you ask?" She looked at him curiously wondering what such a man would want with someone like her.  
He chuckled softly as he took a moment to examine her before speaking. _" He has bragged for two days about it. I thought you must be something special."_ He was almost laughing. This infuriated the girl but she could not stand. The chains were too short. She could only kneel.  
"What do you mean " thought " i was something special?" She sounded almost demanding in her statement. " And why would you come to see me if only to tell me that?!." She now sounded very irritated with the man.  
_"Dear child..i did not come here to remind you of your current misfortune. i came to tell you that you have a destiny far beyond these walls and chains. i will guide you but first you must escape." _Turning the man vanished into the shadows leaving the girl wondering what just happened and how she was going to escape her fate...surely there was someone who could help her?. " _That guy isn't helping much_" she thought as she stared for a moment at the spot where he had vanished.

**Next Morning.**

She awoke from her deep slumber to find her chains broken and collar removed. _"H..how...?"_ She was speechless as to the thought that some stranger had given her a chance for freedom. But her cell was still locked tight and there were no windows. _" I suppose that's a start " _she thought silently as she leaned against the wall gently thinking of what might have happened during the night. But before she could think too long a loud _"Thud" _sounded from the room next to hers. She could hear the guards talking. _" Leave the sorry little corpse here..he might entertain the rats." _said the first guard._ " But our lord Cao Cao wants him alive and unspoiled. He has many questions for the Wu soldier." _The second guard sounded almost caring. The girl covered her mouth to silence the gasp at the sound of Wu. She immediately knew she had to help this...this soldier...traitor...no he can't be. Wu would not have forsaken one of they`re soldiers so lightly. Once she heard the guards leave she kicked and pushed the stone wall until a few small stones fell to the floor.

_" Are you ok? "_ she sounded as caring as possible in her current mood. but the soldier did not reply. She picked up her water bowl and took a sip..carefully aiming, she sprayed it at the soldiers face. The soldier slowly sat up as if he had just been tortured._ " W...what..who are you? "_ he asked as he noticed the girl looking through the wall at him. _" My name is Tiānshǐ ...whats yours? "_ she was curious how such a handsome boy could be captured by such fools as Wei. _" I'm Lu Xun. I got ambushed near the borders of Shu by Wei scouts. W...Where are we? "_ he sounded very alarmed at the sight of his small windowless cell. _" We are in the Wei capital city...probably awaiting trial for some strange accusation of Cao Cao`s foul mind. "_ She was obviously disgusted by Cao Cao. He had tortured her relentlessly when she was first captured...she had the scars to remind her. _" I was captured trying to assassinate Cao Pi...damn that Cao Ren... "_ she sounded heartbroken. _" B..but why would you want to kill Cao Pi? "_ his tone of voice confused the girl...a mix of care and...devotion perhaps? she did not know. She looked directly into his eyes so he could witness her pain as she told her story._ " H..he killed my family...my sister , mother and father... I want revenge. "_ She looked sad..almost teary as she turned away as the tears began to fall. _" I can't imagine what you're going through but i need your help. I must get back to my lord with all haste!. " _The boy sounded almost desperate. _" What could be so important that i must help you now? " S_he was not mocking him. She asked in earnest and curiosity. _" I bring him a message from Yuan Shao. He asks for our aid against the Yellow Turbans! "_ She suddenly looked at him, her face covered in tears. _" Yellow Turbans?...what is that a sickness or something? " _she was confused. The boy laughed for a moment before speaking. _" How long have you been in this cell Tiānshǐ? The_ _Yellow Turbans are rebels that think they possess divine power and that it gives them the right to rule. They raid without hesitation and kill all who oppose them. Yuan Shao has asked us to unite under his flag and put a stop to they`re opr... " _He stopped..the girl was smiling slightly and seemed distant. _" Are you ok? " _He asked in a confused tone. The girl looked almost dazed. _" If i help you escape will you take me to your lord so i might join him and fight? I want adventure...I want to feel the wind in my face as i ride into battle..to hear the sound of steel clashing...to get my revenge on Wei. " _The boy looked stunned , the way he looked almost seemed like the girl had slapped him. He then blinked and thought for a moment. _" Deal. Help me get out of this disgraceful hole and ill take you to my lord as he may judge you."_ He smiled gently at her. With all her heart she wanted to hug him. To thank him in some way for the kindness he just agreed to. Little did the boy know that the girl was used as a vent for the Wei lords anger. He was surprised to see her smile so radiantly. _" Ok then...well our rooms have no windows and the only way out is through the throne room..i saw it on my in. But Cao Cao only vacates his throne for few things. Normally its to come down here and throw insults at me...( she downplayed the severity of what he would really do to her )...or to go to battle...otherwise he only leaves it to eat sleep and what seems to be his idea of courting single women. " _The boy laughed at the last statement before speaking. _" Unfortunately it may take some time to break out of here. We should spend a few days planning and talking of what we know. But for now let us talk of each other for i would know more of you if you are willing to give it."_ She smiled softly then began to tell her new friend her story. She was careful however to leave out what Cao Cao and the lords would use her for and why they had not sentenced her already. Before long night was upon them and they talked until they could no longer keep they`re eyes open. That night she dreamt of what seemed to be the future.

_**She was walking down a long hallway with Lu Xun at her side. Ahead of them were the lords of Wu...Zhou Yu , Sun Ce , Sun Quan , Sun Shang Xiang and Sun Jian. Sun Jian was the first to speak. " What news have you brought us Lu Xun and who is your pretty young friend? " Lu Xun looked at her cautiously. She caught on immediately that he was telling her to mind her temper in front of the lords. " Her name is Tiānshǐ my lord Sun Jian. But we will speak of her later. First i must tell you that Yuan Shao has called for an alliance to stop the Yellow Turbans!. " The lords began whispering among themselves for a few moments before speaking directly to Lu Xun again. " Send word that we will join his cause Lu Xun. However in the meantime let us get to know your young friend Tiānshǐ. Step forward child." She felt nervous but stepped forward without hesitation. " How is it you met Lu Xun young one? " She looked up at the lords and bowed before speaking but thought it best to keep the truth from them for now. " I..I met him on the road to Shu. i was heading there when he asked me for some water. i asked him where he was going and when he said he was headed for Wu i asked if i could go with him." The lord Sun Jian looked surprised. " Lu Xun is this true?..you met this young warrior on the road from Shu returning from Yuan Shao? " Lu Xun then stepped forward to hold the girl's arm gently and curiously. " My lord that is how we met. "The lord Sun Jian stood almost at once and turned to her. " Well then. Lu Xun will train you to join our forces. You will be given the choice of armor but it must bear the symbol of Wu and the color red. You must also choose your weapon. Or weapons if you prefer more than one. " He then turned to Lu Xun. " You will guide her , train her and protect her until she is ready to fight by herself." Lu Xun bowed slowly. " Yes my lord. it will be done. " The lords left and just as Lu Xun took her hand she awoke sweating lightly as if something had scared her.**_

_" I have to tell Lu Xun."_ She thought before spraying water at the boy and he slowly awoke. _" There has got to be a better way of waking me up." _She looked annoyed for a moment._ " Lu Xun shut up and listen for a moment." _She then told him of her dream. He looked surprised at her description. _" Yes that sounds like the lords of Wu but they sound too...kind for they`re nature. They all seem really tough and fearless when I talk to them. " _She looked worried and stared into his eyes. _" D..do you think they`ll be nice to me?...I..i havent exactly been treated nicely these last few months.."_ Lu Xun looked into her eyes for what seemed like hours before speaking in a tone of voice that made the girl feel safe and secure. _" They will treat you like a daughter. They will show you kindness and respect. They may seem tough and a bit harsh but they are all very gentle people. You will love them." _He then rolled over and fell back asleep. Tiānshǐ sat there wondering if what he said was true...Would they really treat her like a daughter? Like they loved her?...she thought for a while before going to sleep herself.

**Well that's the first chapter. Please read and review ^^ thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Beginning Of The End.**

**Chapter 2. **

_**Unfortunately the day after her dream Tiānshǐ was taken from the dungeon and moved to Cao Pi`s personal torture room. For what seemed like a month she was beaten by both Cao Pi and Cao Cao before being whipped. Beaten severely and scarred heavily she was returned to her cell two days later in tears of agony.**_

Lying on the cold stone floor of her cell Tiānshǐ kept wondering if they were toying with her or merely making her pain from the loss of her family worse. As she thought no one would help her a gentle hand touched her shoulder. _" What did they do to you.." _She immediately recognised the voice as Lu Xun. _" Things i only thought were possible in nightmares."_ She sounded..broken...diminished...as if part of her had been taken away. _"I'm sorry..i should have stopped them...i should have gotten they`re attention so you did`nt have to go through that." _Lu Xun seemed to be reaching out to her with his words...trying to let her know he cared for her and wanted to keep her safe. She slowly and with some help from Lu Xun managed to get to her knees but could not lean against her usual spot on the wall. As a tear fell down her cheek Lu Xun looked at her with longing..as if he wanted to hold her...anything to take away her pain. _" Whatever it takes..i promise you will never again endure such pain. I will protect you with all my strength. "_ He sounded..caring..no...loving in his words. To hear this shocked her as she looked into his eyes , she wondered if he was just saying this to make her feel better...or had he missed her while she was being tortured? She looked as if it was the first caring words she had heard in her entire lifetime. "_Y__...you would protect me? b..but why? i..im just a..a..."_ But before she could finish her sentence Lu Xun had placed his hand on her cheek and was wiping her tears away._ " A strong girl and a true friend. I know none other that could endure what you have and still be able to feel the pain...or survive at all. You must not give into them. It is what they want..they want you to give up." _He gently pulled her closer and hugged her as best he could with such minimal space from the now slightly larger hole in the wall separating them. _" Turn around so i can clean your wounds." _As he picked up a bowl of water and a white cloth she turned and pulled her long crimson hair out of the way. Bracing herself for more pain she was surprised that his touch was actually quite soothing..almost..relaxing. She moved closer to the wall to make it easier for him. _"Where did you learn how to clean wounds? Do they train soldiers to be healers as well as fighters in Wu?"_ She seemed curious as to how he was so gentle...it was like he was handling something fragile. _" No..my mother taught me some basic healing when i was very young."_ As he said this he wrapped a longer cloth around her slowly , covering her wounds before tying a knot at the back. _" That will_ _keep them clean until they heal."_She thanked him before laying back on the cold floor and falling asleep.

_**2 days** **later.**_

She was still very weak but her wounds were slowly beginning to heal. As she awoke that morning she heard the guards entering in what seemed like a struggle with a new prisoner._ " The cells are full...what do we do with this one.? _The guard sounded very irritated..as if he had been hit by something heavy. _" Put the Wu soldier in with the girl and throw this one in his cell."_ Before Tiānshǐ could move out of the way Lu Xun had been taken out of chains and pushed into her cell , landing on top of her quite roughly. She gasped in pain as he sat her up gently to check if she was ok._ " I'm sorry i didn't expect them to throw me so carelessly."_ Before she could say it was ok he had pulled her into an unusually tender hug. Waiting until the guards had left he then sealed the hole in the wall..it was rather useless now that he shared a cell with the girl he was helping to escape._ " Now we can escape! " _Lu Xun said enthusiastically and just before Tiānshǐ could speak he had seemed to have read her mind. _" But not before you are healed. I wont risk further harm to you by escaping while you are in this condition."_ She turned away slightly as she blushed...had he come to care for her? or was he just being polite? She did`nt know but she was sure she would soon find out._" I'm sorry Lu Xun and im glad your with me now but im very tired.." _She motioned to lay down again but before she could Lu Xun had moved to let her rest her head on his lap. _" Sleep well Tiānshǐ. I will__ watch over_ you." She fell asleep quite quickly...quicker than normal...but before she fell asleep she started to wonder how was it he could make her feel so safe? so secure? so...loved? He sounded so fond of her..so caring for her..was he falling in love with her? No he couldn't be...not after only knowing her for a week...he couldnt be...could he? She felt protected now having him with her. She did not sleep all night. She awoke late in the night shivering and noticed Lu Xun was not sitting with her anymore. _" Lu Xun?_" She sat up slowly and noticed that her cell door was open. But before she had time to think about it Lu Xun ran into the room and was picking her up. _" Im sorry Tiānshǐ but we have to go...they`re going to execute you. I heard the guard captain talking about it before he left. I_ _knocked out the guard at the door and took a map of the palace off his belt.__" _She groaned in pain as he lifted her and carried her out of the dungeon and through a passage leading out of the castle and south of the capital. They emerged from the passage and walked until sunrise. Lu Xun placed her on the grass as gently as he could as she looked up at him with both pain and appreciation in her eyes. _" You risked everything to save me.."_ Looking down at her with care he said slowly_ " Some things are worth the risk. Now stay there and rest ill go get some wood and make a fire to keep you warm."_ She could not understand why he was only concerned for her...not only had he risked being caught and punished to rescue her but he had also spoken in a tone that sounded like she was all that mattered to him. She fell asleep before he returned.

_**The Next Morning.**_

She awoke the next morning to find herself in Lu Xun`s arms. As she looked up at him she noticed a cut on his arm and a small bruise on his cheek._ " What happened Xun? "_ Before he spoke he turned his head to the side where Tiānshǐ noticed the bodies of two Wei soldiers. _" A patrol followed us...we have to keep moving. We will make our way toward the camp of Yuan Shao. It is not too far from here and he will help us."_ She nodded silently and closed her eyes as Lu Xun picked her up and started walking. Now with two swords he felt that he could finally truly protect her. She slept as he walked and just as nightfall was catching up to them they arrived at Yuan Shao`s camp. Yuan Shao himself met them at the gates. _"What happened to you? I had`nt heard any word from Wu so i sent another messenger." _Lu Xun looked up after placing Tiānshǐ on the ground gently and resting her head on his lap again. _" I never reached Wu. I was captured by Wei and was thrown in the dungeon. But we can talk later. Right now my friend needs healing. She was tortured by Cao Cao and Cao Pi for three days. She has many bruises and some deep wounds on her back. Heal her. She is of great importance to me."_ Yuan Shao looked astonished at the boy`s commitment to this stranger. _" Very well. We shall make her well again. Go and rest young warrior. You have walked a long way and need your strength if you are to care for your young friend. Do not fear...she shall not be touched while under my protection. Any who dare touch her aside from yourself will be punished severely." _Lu Xun bowed but lifted the girl himself. _" Thank you my lord Yuan Shao but i promised to protect her...Ill not leave her side until i am dead or until she no longer needs protection."_ Again astonished by his devotion to the mysterious girl Yuan Shao simply bowed and lead them to the healers tent before leaving to attend to his battle strategy.

_**Will Lu Xun fall in love with the mysterious girl he knows so little about? Or will he be as a brother to her? Tune in next Chapter to find out!**_

_**Read and Review please ^_^**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 3 **

Tiānshǐ awoke the next morning to see Lu Xun sitting at her bedside looking exhausted. _" You havent slept have you Xun? " _Looking at her slowly he shook his and resumed his distant stare at the floor. She placed her hand on his cheek and said in an unusually affectionate tone for her _" Get some sleep Xun ill be ok. No one can hurt me here.."_ He stood hesitantly before touching her cheek gently and leaving the tent. Before returning to her slumber she was given medicine and her bandages changed. Tiānshǐ thought to herself as she lay down slowly _" I must rest...the battle against the Yellow Turbans is in three days and i can`t fight like this...i dont want to watch Xun fight alone.." _She needed no assurance. She knew the healers were doing they`re work well and quickly. She would be ready and when she was none would stand before her wrath and survive. She would make sure of it. No Survivors...No mercy...no..she could`nt fight like that..she could`nt fight like Wei...she would leave some alive to tell her legend throughout the lands. Once her legend had become known to all of china she would take her revenge to seal her place in history.

_**Three days** **later...**_

She stood at the head of the alliance forces adorned in platemail. Black steel plates with a gold trim. She wore a crimson sash to signify her allegiance to Wu _" and to Xun "_ she thought to herself. _" He has protected me...__fo__ught for me..i will not let him down._ " She looked to the sunrise as the order to move out was shouted across the camp. She turned back towards her tent as a blacksmith stepped forward with a large cloth in his hands. _" Yuan Shao gave orders for me to craft these specially for you my lady...may they serve you well. " _She took the cloth and kneeled on the grass. Unravelling it she found an intricately decorated bow and a set of twin katana and daggers. _" And_ _the bow is a gift from the young Wu soldier Lu Xun "_ The blacksmith said curtly and bowed before returning to his forge. She stood in amazement of the gifts she had been given before heading to the armory to get a quiver and filling it with arrows. As she walked she thought back to what Lu Xun had told her about the lords of Wu. It seemed that they werent the only kind beings in existence. After choosing a black quiver with crimson trim and a small orange cloth tied to it she filled it and set out to battle. _" Now let my story begin!." _She headed to the stables and mounted a white horse with a silvery mane and tail before heading out to find Lu Xun and Yuan Shao to thank them for her gifts._ " To find one of them was to find the other "_ She thought to herself as the wind blew through her long crimson hair.

**_The battle of the Yellow Turbans._  
**

She stood at Lu Xun`s side before the battle begun. _" Be careful out there __Tiānshǐ_. _Your enemy are merciless savages and will not hesitate to kill. Do not give them that courtesy." _Lu Xun had told her before joining the rest of the Wu forces. Yuan Shao approached as she was about to charge. _" Hold a moment child. I must tell you something."_ Tiānshǐ looked down at him curiously and nodded._ " I understand your hatred for Wei but i must ask you not to confront them in this battle. I dislike Cao Cao but i admit i need his aid in this battle." _She sighed in frustration but turned back to him. _" Alright i wont kill him...yet."_ And without further words she rode toward battle..and the beginning of a new life for herself. She dismounted as she reached the front line and drew her newly forged katana`s. Going where no other soldier dared she fought her way straight to the leader. _" I need`nt bother with these soldiers...if i kill the leader i kill they`re morale aswell." _Nothing could stop her..this battle must be won if she was to take her revenge and join Wu. As she approached the steps heading to the Yellow Turban leader she found herself surrounded. But before she could react and fight her way out a streak of red had passed her and was fighting the turban soldiers. She looked closer to see that it was Lu Xun and a small group of Wu generals. She immediately saw Sun Shang Xiang and Sun Ce but there was another she had not recognised...he held a long curved blade and had long black hair. As she motioned to ask Lu Xun who this man was he had walked toward her and bowed deeply. _" Zhou Yu at your service Lady __Tiānshǐ_. Lu Xun has told me much of you on our way here. My apologies..we were delayed by a group of elite guards." She bowed before speaking. _" Do not apologise Lord Zhou Yu...i ran ahead and got myself surrounded..but thank you for the assistance."_ She turned and headed up the stairs to see the Yellow Turban leader standing alone at the altar. _" HEATHENS! Your unholy presence shall not defile such a divine sanctuary!." _Tiānshǐ smiled slightly and turned to the group of Wu she had with her. _" This one is mine." _As she lunged forward her katana`s met with the staff of the leader in a grinding noise of steel against wood. _" Today you die holy man. And none shall ever speak your name again!" _She did not have much experience in warfare yet but she fought with all her heart for what seemed like hours before being hit across her face by the staff and her blades knocked out of her hands. The Wu lords motioned to help her but she shook her head...this " divine " priest had made one fatal mistake. He had failed to notice the daggers tied to her back..it was not until she had pierced his heart that he truly knew it was the end for him. But as added precaution she slit his throat before walking back to Lu Xun`s waiting arms. Embracing her he said so the Lords around them could clearly hear _" You did extremely well. I am very proud of you Tiānshǐ_. _You have shown the nature of your heart in battle."_ Before she could speak he had pulled her close and kissed her lovingly. As he pulled away both Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were smiling and patting him on the back. Shang however had approached Tiānshǐ smiling and hugged her gently. _" He is a good man Tiānshǐ. Take care of him. Now lets get back to my father and introduce you." _She smiled and hugged Tiānshǐ again before turning and walking back toward the main camp through a crowd of cheering soldiers.

**That`s chapter 3! Chapter 2 and 3 were short because I only have a limited writing skill :) I will lengthen the following chapters as best i can. As always please read and review! Thanks! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 4  
**

_"What will the lords think of me?"_ Tiānshǐ thought to herself as the small group of warriors walked back towards the Wu main camp. She stopped suddenly surprising the others before turning to Lu Xun. _"Xun im nervous...what if they don't like me?...What if they don't want me.." _But before Lu Xun could answer Shang Xiang had stepped forward and put her arms around Tiānshǐ gently. _" They will love you. My father is a kind man. He will take you in and show you kindness , care and generosity. My family will take care of you and i know Xun will aswell. Don`t be nervous Tiānshǐ i am certain it will be ok."_ Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged Shang Xiang like a sister before continuing to the main camp. As they entered the main camp Zhou Yu , Shang Xiang and Sun Ce walked ahead as Lu Xun and Tiānshǐ were greeted by a horde of cheering soldiers. Many of the soldiers bowed to them as they passed and others simply smiled. _" So they have returned." _Said Sun Jian as he heard the echo of the soldiers cheering. Turning to Sun Quan he said in a rather placid tone _" Let us greet our nation`s heroes."_ Sun Quan nodded and they walked out of the war tent and watched as Lu Xun and Tiānshǐ approached. When they had reached the lords Tiānshǐ knelt before them and looked up at them hopefully. _" Greetings my lords i am Tiānshǐ. I have come to join the forces of..." _Sun Jian cleared his throat before she could finish. _" I have heard much of you from my daughter Shang Xiang. I am told you and Lu Xun were captured by Wei. Is that correct?". "Yes my lord...that is correct. I was captured trying to assassinate Cao Pi and met Lu Xun shortly afterwards."_ As Sun Jian stopped to think of what to do Shang Xiang walked forward and knelt next to Tiānshǐ. _" Take pity on her father...she has been through a lot of punishment. I am not certain i would have survived what she has."_ Shang Xiang helped Tiānshǐ to her feet and stood with her as Sun Jian looked from one to the other._ " Indeed. She is young but strong and has the heart of a true warrior and also has the spirit of a dragon. Step forward Tiānshǐ."_ Tiānshǐ looked at Shang Xiang nervously but Shang Xiang just smiled and nodded slightly. Tiānshǐ stepped towards Sun Jian slowly and bowed. _"Welcome to your new family...Daughter of Wu. Your dedication and bravery today has impressed me beyond worthy recognition. I hereby take you as my adopted daughter and give you the title of The Dragon Of Wu. Bring fear to your enemies and honour to your new family." _Before Tiānshǐ had fully realised what just happened Sun Jian had pulled her into a very tender hug. She truly felt like she had a family now as she stepped back and removed her helmet. _" Thank you father. I will bring great honour to our family and swift justice to our foes. In the name of Wu i will lead our army against all who would rule with cruelty and tyranny." _Sun Jian smiled as Shang Xiang , Sun Quan and Sun Ce had walked forward to hug they`re new sister. _" I`m so excited!. I`ve always wanted a little sister!." _Shang Xiang sounded as if she had never been happier about anything else in her entire life. As night crept upon them they sat around a camp fire talking of all the possible adventures they would have together. They talked for hours before Tiānshǐ excused herself and entered her tent. As she was about to undress Lu Xun called her before entering._ " Xun!."_ Tiānshǐ had been undressed when he entered and covered herself as she blushed brightly. _" Sorry! i thought you were sleeping!"_ Lu Xun blushed slightly as he stepped back out of the tent to see Shang Xiang giggling at him. _" I did`nt know i swear!." _His face was getting redder. _" Sure you did`nt Xun." _Shang Xiang winked as she walked to her own tent and went to bed. As Lu Xun stood outside Tiānshǐ`s tent feeling very embarrassed he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. _" Don`t stand out here Xun you'll get cold."_ Tiānshǐ was now dressed and had taken his hand and pulled him gently into the tent. _" I really am sorry about..."_ Tiānshǐ just smiled and sat on her bed. _" Don`t worry about it Xun i know you did`nt know i was`nt dressed. It`s ok..really." _Lu Xun smiled and sat down next to her , putting his arm around her gently. _" What a day huh? You have a family, a home_ _and..."_ He blushed lightly. _" and you have my love. I was waiting for the others to go to bed so i could have some time alone with you." _Tiānshǐ smiled. _" Would`nt have anything to do with me being The Dragon Of Wu would it?"_ she said teasingly as Lu Xun pulled her close. _" No..i just love you for who you..."_ At the sound of him saying he loved her Tiānshǐ had kissed him tenderly and deeply. _" Stay with me Xun. I don't want to be on my own." _Lu Xun smiled and nodded before they both went to bed.

_**The Next Morning**_

Tiānshǐ awoke in Lu Xun`s arms and smiled before sitting up and walking out of the tent to where Sun Ce and Shang Xiang were sitting around a newly built campfire. _" Where is Xun?" _Shang Xiang sounded very teasing. _" Still in bed Shang...Dont give me that look Ce! I have already told Shang that i will take care of him." _Sun Ce had given her a look of slight worry but after being told that she would care for Lu Xun he went back to eating his breakfast._ " I wonder if she means that Lu Xun will take care of her?."_ Sun Ce thought to himself before taking a sip of tea. _" Besides Ce, Tiānshǐ knows that Xun and i are friends so she won`t hurt him."_ Shang believed Tiānshǐ loved Lu Xun deeply, she could see it in her eyes whenever they spoke of Lu Xun. As Shang Xiang handed Tiānshǐ a small cup of tea Lu Xun had sat down next to Tiānshǐ and kissed her cheek softly._ "Did you sleep well Tiānshǐ?"_ Lu Xun said after a slight wink from Shang Xiang. _" I slept wonderfully. Thank you for staying with me Xun." _Tiānshǐ sipped her tea as she leant against Lu Xun gently and he put his arms around her. _" You two are such a cute couple!" Maybe one day you might be married! What do you think Xun? Can you handle Tiānshǐ for that long?" _Shang Xiang giggled softly. _" Oh don't tease him Shang. He has only spent one night with me." _Tiānshǐ sounded serious but deep down Lu Xun knew she would not refuse if he did ask to marry her._ " Not yet." _He thought to himself. _" I want to spend time with her and show her how much i love her before that happens."_ Lu Xun picked up his tea and sipped slowly as he held Tiānshǐ lovingly. _" Tiānshǐ will you come for a walk with me? I want to show you something." _Shang Xiang had stood up and taken Tiānshǐ`s hand. Gently pulling her as if she was`nt really asking, they walked off towards the stables._ " Do you think she would say yes if i asked her to marry me Ce?" _Lu Xun was a bit worried but knew that she would. _" Ofcourse she will Xun. Give her time though. You two have`nt been together that long. Let her get used to her surroundings and new family before getting too attached."_ Lu Xun knew Sun Ce was right but felt that he wanted to be with her now. Meanwhile at the stables Shang Xiang was almost shaking from excitement. _" I have a gift for you! I had it prepared while you were sleeping." _As Tiānshǐ was wondering what Shang was gifting her, she had seen it. A beautiful black stallion with a crimson saddle and a dark red dragon painted on his sides. _" Oh Shang i love him!."_ Tiānshǐ noticed her bow , daggers and katana`s were already tied to the saddle. _" You knew i would want to go riding today did`nt you Shang?" _Shang Xiang smiled and looked very happy. _" Well of course she did...I told her i wanted to go riding with you before we head back to the Wu capital city." _Lu Xun had walked past Shang and mounted a white horse next to Tiānshǐ`s. _" He said he wanted some alone time with you and that the tent was`nt quite alone enough for him. So me and Ce went out last night to find a horse that suits you and we just kind of...gave him some personality. What will you call him?" _Tiānshǐ had not thought of that. She was so excited about riding her new horse with Lu Xun that she had forgotten to name her new stallion. _" I think i will call him...Shadow. He is as dark as the night sky." _She rode off as she smiled to Lu Xun. _" Thank you Xun...i wanted to spend some time with you today away from Shang and Ce. I wanted to tell you something." _They had arrived at a river and tied the horses to a tree at the riverbank. _" i wanted to tell that i love you Xun. You risked everything to bring me here to Wu and now i have a family again. More importantly i have you." _She pulled him close and kissed him deeply before sitting down and leaning against the tree._ " I know you want me to marry you aswell._ _And as much as i want to i have to tell you that im not ready to get.." _Lu Xun had put his hand on her cheek. _" I know..i talked to Ce when you and Shang were at the stables. I love you deeply and truly but i want to spend more time with you before i ask. I want to get to know you more..I`ve only spent a few weeks with you. I`m not ready either but when we are ready i promise i will ask. Then i can take care of you forever."_ Tiānshǐ leant against him happily and they sat there all day so they could watch the sunset. They arrived back at the camp late that night to find Shang and Ce waiting for them. _" Smooth Xun. I did`nt know you were such a romantic boy. Ce told me about your talk earlier." _Shang was smiling brightly and walked over to hug her sister. _"I`m really happy for you sister. But don't rush anything. Take your time and take care of each other. Now go to bed we leave tomorrow for the capital." _Tiānshǐ hugged Shang before taking Lu Xun`s hand and going to bed._  
_

_**Early the next morning...**_

The camp had already been packed up as Tiānshǐ and Lu Xun woke up. Ce and Shang helped them take they`re tent down and prepare they`re horses. _"__Today you get to see your new home Tiānshǐ. I hope you will like it in the capital."_ Ce was smiling and Shang was already on her horse. _" Hurry up you three! We don`t want to be left behind." _Shang rode ahead to find they`re father as the others mounted they`re horses and rode off. _" Yesterday i found a family. Today i find a home. Now my new life truly begins." _Tiānshǐ had long dreamt of this moment though she had never thought it would be this good. Word Of the new daughter of Wu and stories of the ferocity of The Dragon Of Wu were already spreading across the land. They stopped in many villages on the way to the capital so the villagers could give they`re gifts to the daughter of Wu. Tiānshǐ had never been happier. She had a home, a family and a true love. This was everything she had hoped for and better than everything she had wished for. All her dreams were coming true. Although deep down she knew they would soon be at war with Wei and Shu she would enjoy the time of peace as much as she could and spend as much time as possible with Lu Xun. The young strategist had become all she could think about. Her heart would beat faster whenever she was near him and his voice would always calm her. She had`nt realised that she was blushing before Shang spoke up. _" Don`t go too red Tiānshǐ you might scare Shadow." _Shang was giggling and teasing her about blushing so much. Tiānshǐ did`nt mind though. Talking to Shang about Lu Xun made the ride to the capital seem a lot shorter than it was. In the late afternoon they arrived at the capital. The walls were higher than Tiānshǐ had pictured them in her mind and the gate had a large red flag hanging from it with the Wu symbol on the front. As they entered the city, the streets filled with people and before long they were off they`re horses and Tiānshǐ was surrounded by smiling villagers. _" Give her some space! We are all excited she is here but we must not crowd her...she is`nt used to being this popular." _Shang and Ce were walking on either side of her , Lu Xun in front and Zhou Yu behind. The crowd made a wide walkway for them as they climbed the steps to the palace. When they reached the top of the stairs Sun Jian approached Tiānshǐ. _" Welcome home my daughter. May it`s walls always keep you safe and it`s cieling keep you sheltered." _He smiled happily before hugging her and walking off to his room. _" Come with me sister..i want to show you the peach blossom trees!" _Shang and Tiānshǐ spent all afternoon walking around the gardens and found a nice spot under one of the peach blossom trees for a picnic. As they sat on the grass talking a cold blade touched Tiānshǐ`s throat. _Let`s see what you`ve got sister!" _Sun Ce dropped her katana`s next to her and took his tonfa from Zhou Yu before taking a defensive stance. Tiānshǐ smiled as she stood up and picked up her katana`s. _ " Are you sure you can handle a Dragon brother? " _ She said teasingly before charging and striking at his chest. Ce blocked the strikes and pushed her back slightly forceful before stepping forward and attacking. She dodged the first strike but the second hit her in the stomach and knocked her over. She smiled slightly as she stood back up and attacked again but this time Ce was ready and quickly blocked each strike before disarming her. _" Kill " _He sounded slightly amused before Tiānshǐ had spoken. _ " Kill " _Ce had been surprised but looked down to see her bow drawn and aimed at his heart. _" Not bad little sister. But you still have a lot to learn." _He handed his tonfa back to Zhou Yu before helping Tiānshǐ to her feet. _ " But don't worry. Shang , Xun , Yu and I will all train you to be the strongest warrior in the Wu army!." _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged Ce gently. _ Thank you Ce I really appreciate it. Now excuse me..there is someone who needs my attention." _She smiled as Lu Xun approached and hugged her. _"Read my mind did you Tiānshǐ?"_ He sat next to Shang and Tiānshǐ sat on his lap happily. They all talked until late at night before going to they`re rooms.

**That`s Chapter 4! Read and Review please ^_^  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 5  
**

**_Two weeks had passed since her arrival in the capitol. Tiānshǐ had helped alot of the villagers with day to day work and activites during those two weeks. In return, the villagers prepared a gift for her._  
**

Tiānshǐ had slept soundly that night. The sounds of the wind in the trees was like a lullaby. She awoke the next morning feeling happier than she had been in a very long time. _" I feel like helping the farmers today. I`m sure they will appreciate the extra help." _She thought to herself before heading out to the fields. She spent the next few hours working hard with the villagers to harvest the vegetables and fruit for the market stalls. She was greeted with smiles and happy faces everywhere she went. _" This is the perfect life. I could not ask for better." _The young children had asked her how she liked her new life. _" Will you help me pick some apples children?"_The children were all excited to help the new daughter of Wu. They picked all the apples they could find before carrying them to a cart and heading to the market square. The children however had a surprise for her. The villagers had been building a gift for her and had worked hard to make it ready. The entire city had helped in some way, Some had gathered wood and stone. Others had crafted joints, nails and doorknobs. After delivering the apples, The children led her to what looked like a rather large tent. _" Everyone helped build this during the last two weeks. Sorry it took so long but we had to gather alot of material to build it." _Tiānshǐ was a touch confused but it passed quickly as the tent like material fell away to show a large door with gold dragons as door knobs and a large crimson flag with a bright red dragon sewn onto it. _"We built you a house! We thought you might like a place to call your own so we built you one! We appreciate all the help you have given us over the last two weeks so this is our way of saying thank you." _ It was like something from a dream, the doors opened to show beautiful fiery red carpet and decorative lanterns lighting the rooms. There was a large room filled with weapon racks and armor displays. Another had a large throne-like chair behind a desk with a small basket next to it for letters and other mail. The bedroom was huge. It had a large bed with decorative pillows and blankets all with her crimson dragon on them. There was a large wardrobe and a small flower pot in each corner of the room. There was even a kitchen with a small bedroom for her personal chef. As they walked out to the gardens she noticed a large shed like structure full of hay. Before she could ask what it was for a small girl walked through the gate with her horse and led him into the shed. _"Oh its a stable!" _She sounded surprised and the children laughed slightly at how long it took for her to figure it out. The gardens were perfect. There was a pond of fish around the edge of the garden with small bridges to each gate. There was what looked like a giant bath tub built into the ground with steam rising from it and a large waterfall pouring into it. _"We thought you might like to shower under the stars so we built the walls high enough to give you a bit of privacy." _Tiānshǐ looked up and agreed that the walls surrounding her house were indeed very high. In each corner of the gardens was a large peach blossom tree. Tiānshǐ watched quietly as the petals fell from the tree and glided slowly down onto the surface of the pond. It was the perfect home for her. She could not find the words to thank the people for they`re amazing gift but she didn't need to. They all bowed and smiled before leaving her to her new home. Tiānshǐ went back to Lu Xun`s room in the palace to collect her weapons and armor and to tell her family about her new house. Lu Xun was`nt in the room when she arrived but walked in as she was finishing her packing. _" Where are you going Tiānshǐ? " _Tiānshǐ smiled at him and said excitedly _" The villagers built me a house! They have been building it for the past two weeks. I`m moving into it, i just had to come back and get my things." _She smiled happily as she took his hand and led him to her house in the village. _" Wow...its beautiful...perfect for the Dragon of Wu." _Lu Xun held her lovingly as they walked around the house looking at all the decorations that had been put in while she was getting her things from the palace. _"Xun I would like you to come live with me here..I don`t like being alone and I want to be around you a lot more often." _Lu Xun smiled and nodded happily. _"I`ll empty my room at the palace tonight and bring it here. We will live happily in this house and I am certain we shall have many memories here." _That night they spent all night in the gardens before Tiānshǐ told Lu Xun to go inside while she bathed. _" I don`t want you to see yet...I am still very nervous about being seen by someone. I`ll get used to it eventually but i`m not ready yet." _Lu Xun smiled and walked inside to let her bathe in peace. She loved the waterfall. The feel of the water hitting her skin was very relaxing but most of all she loved her peach blossom trees. As she sat in the pool of hot water, little petals would float from the trees and land in the water. _" It`s rather romantic..flower petals in a bath.." _She thought to herself quietly before laying back and looking at the stars. When she was done she got dressed and went inside to find Lu Xun asleep in bed. She smiled and joined him happily as she thought of how she would express her thanks to the people of Wu for they`re wonderful gift.

**_The next morning..._  
**

Tiānshǐ awoke alone and walked to the main dining hall to find Shang sitting at the table sipping tea. _"Good morning sleepyhead." _Shang said happily before sipping her tea again. _" Morning Shang...Where`s Xun?" _She sounded worried but knew he would be ok. _" Out on a scouting mission with Ce. They will be back later." _As Tiānshǐ sat down she told the cook she could have today off because Tiānshǐ would`nt be home until late that night. The cook smiled and bowed before Tiānshǐ thanked her for breakfast and sipped her tea. After she had finished her breakfast she decided she would have a bath. _" I`ll come with you. I did`nt bathe last night and i could use the refreshment." _Strangely Tiānshǐ did`nt feel nervous at all about bathing with Shang. Tiānshǐ nodded and they went outside to the bath and undressed. _" The petals in the water and the waterfall are so romantic. You are such a lucky girl Tiānshǐ." _ Shang smiled as Tiānshǐ looked at her and sat under the waterfall. _" I know..but I can`t think of any words that say thank you enough." _She sounded disappointed as Shang sat next to her and put her arm around her. _" The people know you love the house. You don`t need to say thank you. They understand that you will protect them and this is they`re way of saying thank you and welcoming you to your new home." _Shang smiled and they sat under the waterfall and watched the clouds for a few hours. As the sunset was approaching she started to worry because Lu Xun had not returned from his mission yet. _" Xun should be back by now...what`s taking him so long..." _Shang was worried too. _" I don`t know..he is never gone this long on a mission. I`m worried." _Tiānshǐ was very worried now that she knew Lu Xun did not take this long on missions. _" I`m going to find him." _She stood up and dried herself before getting dressed into her armor and getting her weapons. Shang however stayed in the bath. _" I`ll wait here for you..just don`t let Xun see me naked." _She giggled slightly as Tiānshǐ walked to her stables. _" There`s a map at the gate with my messenger. Take him with you and send a message if anything is wrong." _Tiānshǐ nodded before mounting Shadow and heading for the gate. She told the messenger to follow her and took the map from Shang`s saddle. They rode to the location on the map but when they arrived there was no sight of Sun Ce or Lu Xun. Tiānshǐ was worrying a lot now but decided to wait a moment before heading on. She got off her horse and sat on the grass. She did`nt have to wait long though as she heard yelling and the sound of swords clashing. She stood and took her weapons off her saddle and ran to where she heard the sounds. As she saw Lu Xun and Sun Ce fighting a large group of Wei soldiers she turned to the messenger and sent him back to Shang. She then drew her bow and aimed an arrow at a soldier in front of Lu Xun. Hitting the soldier square in the chest with her shot, she aimed another at a soldier behind Sun Ce. Surprised the two young lords looked up to see her firing a third arrow at a soldier on horseback. They felt relieved...and worried that she had arrived. It was her that the Wei soldiers were expecting and when they saw her they charged at her and left the two Wu lords chasing them. Before the Wei soldiers could reach her, Tiānshǐ had put her bow on her back and drawn her katana`s. She charged at the Wei soldiers in a rage that complemented her title of The Dragon of Wu. She fought with ferocity that wove fear into the hearts of any who stood before her. The Wei soldiers did not flee however. They had orders to capture her alive and deliver her back to Cao Cao. Little did they notice that they were now trapped between two lords of Wu and a horde of mounted Wu soldiers led by Sun Shang Xiang that was heading they`re way. As Tiānshǐ heard the rumble of the approaching horse`s she knew her message had arrived swiftly. _" No! I need to concentrate. I can't let any of them leave. They will tell Cao Cao where I am." _She thought to herself as she landed a strike on a Wei soldiers neck. She then turned to Sun Ce and Lu Xun. _" We can`t let them leave! If they return to Cao Cao he will bring an army upon our home!." _After aiming another arrow at a soldier that had just climbed onto a horse she again drew her katana`s and charged a group of three Wei scouts. As she defeated them, Shang Xiang and her forces arrived and surrounded the remaining Wei troops. _"Enough! you are outnumbered and trapped. Surrender and you will be spared." _Shang Xiang sounded unlike herself. Tiānshǐ wondered if Shang had a separate personality at home then in battle. She would ask later but now they had to escort these Wei troops back to Sun Jian for punishment. Tiānshǐ sheathed her swords and walked back to Shadow. Before she climbed onto the saddle Lu Xun ran over and hugged her gently. _" You should not have come. Sun Jian sent me and Ce because he thought it was a trap for you. The letter that told us where to go requested you specifically." _Lu Xun was very concerned by the fact that Wei knew she was in Wu. There would be war now but how long would it be until the battle was upon them? Surely they would not simply wait for the Wei army to arrive on they`re doorstep. They could`nt risk losing the capital of Wu. _"Tonight I ride away. If I am not in Wu, Wei will not destroy the capital." _Tiānshǐ thought to herself before climbing onto her horse and riding back toward that city. Once they arrived, the Wei soldiers were imprisoned and Lu Xun and Tiānshǐ went home to bed. Once Lu Xun was asleep Tiānshǐ snuck out and got her weapons , armor and horse and walked to the cities main gate. Zhou Yu , Sun Ce and Shang Xiang were waiting for her._ " Don`t even think about it Tiānshǐ. If you leave then our people will lose hope. We must fight together. Stay until tomorrow and we will talk to Sun Jian together. He will want to talk to you after today anyway." _Zhou Yu sounded worried but kept a blank expression as Tiānshǐ sighed. _"There is no way of getting past you without a fight is there?" _Tiānshǐ didn`t want to fight her family but would if it meant taking the fight away from her home. _"No there is`nt. Give it up Tiānshǐ. You are good but you can`t beat all of us." _She did`nt hear Lu Xun approach from behind her but once he had spoken she knew she was surrounded. _"Fine. But if Sun Jian has no advice, I will be leaving. I will not risk the safety of our people." _She reluctantly went home and back to bed with Lu Xun.

_**The next day.**_

Tiānshǐ was irritated that her love and family stopped her from protecting her home but went to see Sun Jian to keep them happy. _" I understand that Wei set a trap for you Tiānshǐ but we cannot risk war this close to the capital. I have sent a message to Cao Cao telling him that if he wants a war then we will fight it at Hu Lao gate. There is an upcoming battle there with Wei anyway. I ask that you wait and let your rage subside for now. When we go to Hu Lao gate you can kill as many as pleases you."_ Sun Jian stood and walked back to his war room as Tiānshǐ felt a little bit better. Knowing that Sun Jian would not risk her home any more than she would risk it herself made her a little less stressed. She spent the rest of the day in the palace gardens with Lu Xun and Shang Xiang. They talked all about the upcoming battle at Hu Lao gate as a messenger approached them._" My lord and ladies, we have just received word that Lu Bu himself will be joining Wei at Hu Lao gate." _The three of them stood altogether and looked at the messenger in astonishment. How could they win a battle against the most fearsome warrior in all of china? It seemed impossible. After a moment of silence Tiānshǐ spoke loudly enough for Sun Jian, who was watching from a window, to hear. _ "Then at Hu Lao gate I will defeat Lu Bu and Wei will recognise how large a threat I truly am. They will not dare come against me again." _ Lu Xun and Shang Xiang looked at each other with concern. Would she really fight Lu Bu or was she just building up her courage? They were very worried as Tiānshǐ walked back to her house to sharpen her katana`s and make more arrows. Tiānshǐ sat in the garden all night making arrows for her quiver. She used a crimson feather for her new arrows and tipped them with a very lethal poison. _"My swords are for Lu Bu but Cao Cao must suffer before he dies." _She thought to herself before going to bed.

**That`s Chapter 5. Read and Review please ^_^  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 6  
**

_"Two more days...just two more days then i can finally finish Wei" _Tiānshǐ thought to herself early that morning while waking up in Lu Xun`s arms. She turned to the young strategist and nudged him gently to wake him. _"Xun come take a bath with me. I don`t want to be alone...i don`t feel comfortable being alone anymore." _Lu Xun simply smiled and nodded sleepily as he got out of bed and followed her outside. Once at the bath they undressed and sat under the waterfall. Tiānshǐ leant against him lovingly and Lu Xun wrapped his arms around her. Looking down at her back he noticed that her wounds were still deep but the flesh had healed. _" They will never fully heal will they Tiānshǐ?" _She looked back at him slightly. _" No...i fear not.. the whip they used must have been imbued with evil magic. The skin has healed but the scars will always remain. Why do you ask Xun?" _She had turned around fully and now sat on his lap facing him. _" They just look so... painful. Do they hurt anymore?" _As a single tear ran down Tiānshǐ`s cheek, Lu Xun immediately regretted asking. _" There isnt a moment of the day when i cannot feel the sting of that whip..."_ Lu Xun wiped her tears away and kissed her lovingly. _ "I`m sorry Tiānshǐ I didn`t mean to upset you." _ Tiānshǐ leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. _ " I know Xun. I just can`t always hide the pain.." _Lu Xun lifted her head gently. _" You never have to hide the pain from me Tiānshǐ. I love you and I will always take care of you..you can let your guard down with me." _ As she bit her lip she could not hold it in any longer and broke into tears. Lu Xun simply held her and let her cry. _" Finally...she is more than just a warrior now...now she knows what it feels like to be a lady." _He kissed her forehead gently as he spoke softly, calming her as she listened to his heartbeat._" You know Tiānshǐ, you dont always have to be the strong fearless warrior everyone watches in battle. I mean look at Shang. She is a different person at home than in battle. She is a lady of the court at home and a warrior in the field. You can be the same. No one will ever think less of you." _Deep down she knew in her heart that he was right. From now on she would be as Shang was. A lady at home and The Dragon Of Wu on the battlefield. _" Thank you Xun. You always tell me exactly what i need to hear" _She kissed him tenderly as he lifted her and carried her to bed. After drying themselves off they went to bed. They both slept soundly that night.

_**The Following Day...**_

They awoke and felt closer to each other than they had ever been before. As if they`re very souls had become intertwined with one another. They sat and ate breakfast before Tiānshǐ picked up her bow and some un-poisoned arrows and went out to the courtyard. _" My aim must be flawless. I will only get one shot at Cao Cao and i swear i will not miss."_ She thought to herself as she fired arrows at scattered targets around the courtyard. She had not noticed that Zhou Yu , Sun Ce and Sun Shang Xiang had come for a picnic in her garden. Lu Xun joined them and they all sat watching Tiānshǐ and talking of the battle the following day. _" Her aim is perfect...She won`t miss her target with eyes like hers." _Zhou Yu was right. Her targets were as close as sword point and as far as a field away. She never missed a single shot. She jumped slightly as Lu Xun spoke. _" Your aim is fantastic but you need to learn how to aim under pressure." _He stood and picked up an apple before standing in front of a tree. Lu Xun placed the apple on his head before speaking rather bluntly._" Shoot the apple. _" Lu Xun did not move as Tiānshǐ made her point clear. _" Xun don`t do this to me...what if i miss..." _She looked as if she was about to cry. _" I trust you. I know you will not miss the apple. But you must learn to act under severe pressure " _ Zhou Yu handed him a bow and a single arrow. He drew the bow and aimed it at her. She almost looked shocked at his decision. _" Shoot the apple Tiānshǐ. Shoot the apple or i will loose my arrow." _He was serious...Tiānshǐ could not believe what she was hearing. He was forcing her to shoot at him in a rather lethal spot. _" But Xun.." _ He fired the arrow, missing her by centimetres. After Zhou Yu handed him another arrow he said once again in a slightly more forceful tone _" Shoot The Arrow Tiānshǐ. I will not miss twice." _He drew his bow again but this time Tiānshǐ had beaten him to it. In what seemed the blink of an eye she had drawn her bow and fired. There was a loud thud as the arrow hit the tree, splitting the apple in a clean half. Before Lu Xun had time to speak Tiānshǐ had walked up to him and thrown her arms around his neck as a few tears ran down her cheeks. _" Don`t ever make me do that again. I could have killed you if i was`nt concentrating." _Lu Xun smiled and held her. _" I had faith in you. i am sorry but i had to. Now you know you can loose an arrow before your enemy can react." _The damage was done however as Tiānshǐ broke into tears again. _" You don`t get it Xun! If so much as my hand slipped you would have been dead. Don`t ever make me do it again!." _ She tried to push away but he simply held her tightly. _" I promise Tiānshǐ. I won`t make you do it again."_ She continued to push away for a few moments but soon calmed down. Lu Xun had done what she truly needed him to. He had not let her go in one of her most lowest moments. She now seemed to simply melt in his arms. He tilted her head up gently and kissed her lovingly. _" Some lessons can only be earned the hard way. I know it hurt you to do that but i had to teach you." _She held him tenderly before replying. _" I know Xun...and thank you..but next time just put the apple on a chair or something." _He smiled as he wiped her tears and they joined they`re friends for lunch. Tomorrow was the battle for Hu Lao gate and she had to be ready. Especially since she had chosen the mighty Lu Bu as her first target. After she beat Lu Bu however, Lu Xun knew she would stop at nothing to kill Cao Cao and Cao Pi. Cao Pi would not be at Hu Lao gate but he had a feeling she would find him eventually. They sat in her garden all day talking about the battle that was coming. At nightfall Tiānshǐ and Lu Xun sat under the stars until midnight then went to bed. He kissed her gently before she fell asleep. _" Sleep well my love. You need your strength for the battle tomorrow." _They feel asleep quite quickly that night.

_**The Battle Of Hu Lao Gate  
**_

She had not seen Lu Xun all morning. She had awoken alone and cleaned her armor and sharpened her blades. She put her poisoned arrows in a separate quiver to her normal arrows so that she did not waste them before Cao Cao. She tied the new quiver to the left side of her horse`s saddle as she stroked his mane gently._" Today is the day Shadow. Today i take my revenge on Wei. Stay with me ok? I`ll need you in the battle." _Shadow nudged her affectionately and she knew that he would not leave her side during the battle. It was time. She mounted Shadow and rode towards the city gates to join the rest of the army. As she arrived she saw the lords and generals of Wu waiting for her. Before she could ask what they were waiting for Lu Xun handed her a large and very long banner with a dark crimson dragon on it. _" Now your enemies will know who approaches. They will hear Shadow`s steps and see your banner in the wind and they will know fear before you ever arrive." _She leant down and kissed Lu Xun gently before taking the banner and tieing it to her saddle tightly. With her daggers tied to her lower back and her katana`s tied above them to her armor she pulled her bow out of its cover and held it high as the army cheered her loudly. Today was her day. Everyone in the army was following her. Just as they were about to leave, Sun Jian had one last surprise for her. _" I know you are eager to get to the battle but i have a task for you." _She turned to him and said placidly._" Yes Father...what is it?" _ He did not need to say it, she could see it in his eyes but he said it so the army could hear. Two simple words that would etch her name in history forever. _ " Lead Us." _It truly was her day now. She had been made the commander of the battle and led her army to war. With her leading them, the soldiers felt that they were unstoppable. There was only one battle that mattered today. Tiānshǐ against Lu Bu. Every soldier in the army had heard rumours of her plan to challenge the mighty war lord directly but few believed it. She was fearless but fighting Lu Bu was suicide. No one truly thought she would win. _" I will show them. Nothing can stop The Dragon Of Wu!" _She thought to herself as they reached Hu Lao gate after hours of marching. Before the soldiers or the other generals of Wu could react she had drawn her katana`s and charged. She knew where she was going. The was only one place that Lu bu could be. _"The main gates. Cao Cao would have him defending the only way in. I`m sure of it!" _As she arrived however , Lu Bu was nowhere to be found. instead she settled for a group of Wei defenders to beat as her army caught up with her. Just as Lu Xun and Zhou Yu approached, her target revealed himself. Bursting out of the gates atop his famous horse Red Hare he looked at the small force ahead of him. Before he could speak Tiānshǐ had done the unthinkable. _" Lu Bu I challenge you! Let the winner decide the fate of the loser." _Lu Bu merely laughed as he climbed off Red Hare._ " And what could a child such as yourself want with the mighty Lu Bu if you win?" _Tiānshǐ smiled slightly. _" Your allegiance. If I win you help me destroy Wei and become my lieutenant until I no longer need protection." _Lu Bu smiled and laughed loudly as the army of Wu surrounded the castle and watched closely._ " Very well young warrior. If you win I shall pledge myself to you until the end of your days. If I win however, I will take your head...and that banner as proof." _As he laughed again he had not seen it coming. Tiānshǐ had drawn her katana`s and struck at him with lightning movements. He was struggling to keep up with her speed but managed to knock her back. _" My turn." _ He struck powerfully and heavily at her chest and neck. She blocked but struggled to hold off his strength. Then she had seen it...the Wei army was retreating to the main castle, leaving Lu Bu to fend for himself. She used it wisely. She gasped in a tone that made him turn to see what was happening. In that moment she took her chance and managed to disarm him and now had her blades at his throat._" Very cunning little girl. Very cunning indeed. I respect a clever mind. I pledge myself to your service until you die or no longer need me." _She smiled and picked up his halberd before handing it to him. She then walked over to shadow and took the quiver of poisoned arrows from the saddle. _" Now I have a poisonous gift for Cao Cao. Where is he Lu Bu?"_ He seemed happy at the thought that Cao Cao would suffer. He did not take being left behind lightly. _ "He is in the main castle. I know a way in without being detected that Cao Cao himself is unaware of..but before i show you the way. What is your name young lady?"_ Tiānshǐ looked up at him happily. _" My name is Tiānshǐ. I am the daughter of Sun Jian and The Dragon of Wu!" _Lu Bu looked proud that she could admit her life so happily. _" Very well My Lady. You have my allegiance as you wished. Now let us put an end to Cao Cao."_ She smiled and followed Lu Bu to a small path that led to the main castle`s throne room. Before moving ahead she turned back to Lu Xun and Zhou Yu. _" I need a clear shot at Cao Cao...make a distraction for me and I`ll end this battle before he can retaliate." _Lu Xun and Zhou Yu nodded and headed back to the army. They would tell Shang and Ce what happened and the soldiers would know later. Lu Xun went to join Shang Xiang and Zhou Yu ran after Sun Ce. _" She did it! She beat Lu Bu! He has pledged allegiance to her until she is dead or no longer needs him!"_ Lu Xun was almost shouting in pride as he arrived at Shang Xiang`s side._ " What?! She did it?"_ Shang could not believe what she was hearing. The undefeatable Lu Bu had pledged allegiance to her sister? It was not possible...was it? The soldiers all cheered in support and word of Tiānshǐ`s victory against Lu Bu spread through the Wu army like a wild fire. _"She needs a distraction to get a clean shot at Cao Cao."_ Shang Xiang nodded and then turned to her soldiers. _"Alright you heard Lu Xun. Tiānshǐ needs a distraction. Go make one and make it fast! "_ The soldiers all cheered support before pulling siege catapults into place and firing flaming pots at the Wei castle. The plan worked. The Wei army poured into the courtyard and left Cao Cao with Cao Ren. Lu Bu would fight Cao Ren and Cao Cao would watch. Lu Bu entered the castle alone and roared at Cao Cao. _"__ YOU DARE BETRAY ME? THE MIGHTY LU BU?! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR TREACHERY! " _He raised his halberd and charged at Cao Cao. As planned, Cao Ren intercepted him and Cao Cao sat on his throne watching quietly. Tiānshǐ was hidden in the shadows and drew a poisoned arrow. She aimed it carefully. _" Capture this Cao Cao!" _She thought to herself as she fired the arrow. It was like a slow motion moment, her arrow flew like a streak of flame and hit its target like it was guided through the air. Before Cao Ren had realised what had happened, Tiānshǐ`s arrow had pierced Cao Cao`s heart. Her work was done. She whistled to Lu Bu and they both retreated from the castle. As they entered the courtyard Tiānshǐ announced to her army in a tone that she knew that they would not defy. _" Cao Cao is dead. I hereby permit Cao Ren to leave and retreat to the Wei capital for a funeral. We have won this day!" _She held her bow high and Lu Bu hoisted her onto his shoulders as the soldiers cheered and ran past her to claim the castle. The Wu generals escorted Cao Ren and the Body of Cao Cao to the edge of Hu Lao gate territory. Once they were gone, Lu Bu hung a banner of The Dragon Of Wu above the throne in the throne room. Hu Lao gate was hers. Her revenge taken and the battle won, it was time to go home. Tiānshǐ sent a messenger ahead to tell the villager builders to make a room for Lu Bu in her house and to have it ready by nightfall. Before they left however, Lu Bu had a favour to ask of his new master. _" My wife Diao Chan is being held in a small outpost to the south. It is not far. We could go with a small group and be back at Wu to join the army at the gates." _ Tiānshǐ understood his feelings on this matter and would not deny him. _" Certainly Lu Bu. We will rescue Diao Chan and she can become my second lieutenant. I promise i will treat her like a sister. Lu Xun, Sun Jian, Lead the army back to the capital and await our arrival. Sun Ce , Sun Shang and Zhou Yu come with me." _ They all nodded and followed her without question. As the group rode towards the sunset Lu Xun watched after his love with a worried look on his face. _ " Be safe Tiānshǐ_. " He knew they would not return until morning but he would have scouts watching the horizon anyway. He knew that she would not fail. Not now that she had the invincible Lu Bu guarding her. _" Now you will always be safe. Come back to me Tiānshǐ. Come back to me in one piece."_

**With Lu Bu at her side and victory at Hu Lao gate, Will Tiānshǐ rescue Diao Chan and secure Lu Bu`s loyalty? Find out Next chapter. Read and Review please ^_^**


	7. Chapter 7

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 7  
**

They were approaching the Wei outpost quickly. Tiānshǐ told the others to wait and she scouted ahead alone._ " I need to know what we are up against. Capturing Diao Chan could`nt have been easy. " _She thought to herself as she watched the camp quietly. Then she noticed something that made her understand how it was possible. _" Xiahou Dun is here." _She said calmly to Lu Bu as she returned from her scouting. _" Cao Cao`s personal lap dog. He poses no threat to me." _ She looked at him a touch concerned. _"__ He is not alone Lu Bu. Pang De is here as w__ell. We cannot fight them both. We must split them up to win this fight. "_ Lu Bu smiled admirably. _" How is such a young warrior so wise in her battle strategy? First you defeat me and now you devise a cunning plan to divide they`re forces. I`m impressed. Which one is your`s?" _A hard choice, would she take on Pang De? or Xiahou Dun? Both formidable warriors but ultimately she had to choose. _" I`ll distract Pang De. Lu Bu you deal with Xiahou Dun. The rest of you get in there and rescue Diao Chan." _She raised her bow happily. _" I`ll watch your back. Go!" _She fired an arrow straight at Pang De`s head as her friends charged in and Lu Bu struck at Xiahou Dun. Tiānshǐ smiled as Pang De seemed angered at the thought that he was to fight a mere child. His expectations were slightly raised as two arrows pierced his bodyguard`s through the neck. _" Maybe she is`nt a total loss after all. This should be amusing!" _ He charged her with his twin halberds and was slow to move at first, But then broke into a musou as he reached Tiānshǐ. She barely dodged in time. She fired an arrow at him and knocked his face plate off his helmet. _" You will pay for that child!" _But he was too slow. Tiānshǐ had already drawn her blades and had them at his throat. _" I do not wish to spill your blood Pang De. Cao Cao is dead. Join me.." _She looked over to Xiahou Dun to see him cowering at the tip of Lu Bu`s halberd. _" ...Or join Xiahou Dun. His life is meaningless to me and to be honest i don`t care if Lu Bu kills him or not. But i could use your skills. " _Pang De was astonished at the dedication of this young warrior. _" If what you say is true and my lord Cao Cao is dead then i have no further duty to Wei. You have my service until death claims me or you release me." _Tiānshǐ let him up and handed him the face plate that she removed from his helmet. _" Thank you Pang De. Now where is Diao Chan?"_ Pang De gave a slight grunt. _" She is in __Xiahou Dun`s tent. He was torturing her last night and early to.." _ He was interrupted as Tiānshǐ ran toward Xiahou Dun`s tent. She made it inside without much resistance and untied Diao Chan. _" It`s ok. I am Tiānshǐ. I am here to help you. Lu Bu has sworn allegiance to me. I would offer you the same." _Diao Chan was weak but spoke in a solid tone._" Thank you Tiānshǐ. I owe you a debt i cannot soon repay. I will serve you_._ Now please take me to lord Lu Bu."_ Tiānshǐ nodded and carried her out of the tent, but as they stepped out of the tent Tiānshǐ felt a sharp pain in her side. She looked down to see a single arrow piercing her armor before falling to the ground. Zhou Yu , Sun Ce and Sun Shang arrived at the tent just as the arrow pierced Tiānshǐ`s armor._" Nooooo!" _Shang Xiang had run forward to help but there was`nt alot she could do. She turned to Lu Bu and Pang De and almost screaming said, _" We have to get her back to Wu...NOW!" _Pang De stepped forward. _" Lu Bu will take Diao Chan on his horse. I will take Tiānshǐ on hers. The rest of you follow behind to make sure there are no stragglers. It is the fastest way. " _As Pang De lifted Tiānshǐ onto her horse, she leant forward and whispered to Shadow. _" Ride fast my friend...i need your speed"_ Pang De climbed up and held her gently. Shadow rode to Wu with all the speed he could muster as the sun started to set._ " They are following us! We must reach the capital before nightfall!" _Zhou Yu was right. Xiahou Dun and a small army of Wei riders were following them across the plains. Arrows were soaring past them and warcry`s pierced the night silence as the Wu capital city appeared on the horizon. _" We are not far. Hurry!_" It was Diao Chan that spoke this time. Surprised at the desperation in her voice Lu Bu looked at her._ " Why __do you sound so worried Diao Chan? Tiānshǐ will survive. I Gave her a far harder fight than this at Hu Lao gate." _Diao Chan looked at Lu Bu with a very concerned look. _" I will tell you when we arrive." _Lu Bu hated secrets but for Diao Chan, He would bare this one...if only for a little while. Suddenly the Wei soldiers stopped and started to retreat. They made it, Riding through the high gates of the Wu capital city, Pang De rode straight to the palace and through it`s doors without dismounting. _" Tiānshǐ has been struck by an arrow! She require_`s_ help at once!" _ His loud voice echoed through the palace hall`s and healers came running from what seemed like every direction. They carried Tiānshǐ away gently and took her to the healers room. Sun Jian sent a messenger to Lu Xun immediately and he ran as fast as he could to the palace. Pang De , Diao Chan and Lu Bu all stood guard at the door to the healing room and would not let him enter without Tiānshǐ`s permission. They stood talking for what seemed like hours before a healer walked out of the room. _" She is weak but will recover fully within two or three days. She has requested your presence Lu Xun." _The healers all walked back to they`re rooms and Lu Xun entered the room slowly. Before he got past the door Lu Bu grabbed his shoulder. _" She is fragile. Do not let her think she failed." _He sounded very caring for the young girl and as Lu Xun closed the door, Lu Bu turned to Diao Chan. _" So what was it you wanted to tell me Diao Chan?"_ She hesitated at first but then looked at him with slightly teary eyes. _" When we first met i became pregnant. I had to give away my baby...Our baby...because i could not care for her. Today I was reunited with my daughter." _Lu Bu was shocked, But this explained her ferocity and strength in battle. However he asked the one question he needed a solid answer for. _" She is OUR daughter? How can this be?"_ Diao Chan looked slightly irritated but remained calm._" She has my face...especially my eyes...And your strength and ferocity. Her eyes are the same colour as mine. Search your heart Lu Bu you know it to be true. Tiānshǐ is our daughter. "_ Lu Bu could not believe what he was hearing...all this time the rumours of him having a daughter were not rumours at all. _" Does she know? "_ He was hopeful but knew she had no idea. She had of course killed Cao Cao for murdering her parents. _" No...she does not know. But we must tell her. Pang De go to Sun Jian and tell him what we have said." _Pang De nodded and walked off to find Sun Jian. He found Sun Jian in the courtyard with Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, Sun Quan and Sun Shang. _" My Lords and lady. Lu Bu and Diao Chan have told me to deliver you a message." _ Sun Jian stepped forward slowly. _" Very_ _well. What is this message?"_ Pang De bowed before speaking. _" Tiānshǐ is the daughter of Lu Bu and Diao Chan." _As the lords of Wu all stood in shock and amazement, Pang De returned to Lu Bu and Diao Chan. _" It is done. The lords know of her heritage." _Diao Chan looked slightly concerned as to how the Wu lords would react to this information but thought it best to worry about that later. _" Good. Then let us tell her who we are." _They slowly opened the door and entered. Lu Xun was sitting at the head of Tiānshǐ`s bed and had her head resting on his lap._ " Is something wrong? " _Lu Xun sounded alert but calm. Diao Chan looked at Lu Bu before speaking. _" Tiānshǐ we have something to tell you...__many years ago i fell pregnant to lord Lu Bu. I had to give away my child because i could not care for her. I don`t want to interrupt your healing so i will speak plainly. You are the daughter i could not keep. You are daughter to me and lord Lu Bu. I hope with all my heart you can see this to be true. You have my eyes and face. And you have Lu Bu`s strength and courage in battle. The only thing you have that is different is your crimson hair. You were born with very light red hair but i see it has darkened in these long years." _Diao Chan bowed and the three lieutenants left the room again, leaving Tiānshǐ to think about what she had been told._ " It must be true...she is right Xun. Her eyes mirror my own and her face is exactly like mine...the only difference is my hair...So my parents are alive afterall...i wonder how Sun Jian will take this?" _Lu Xun kissed her deeply. _" He will not change his mind about you. He loves you as a daughter and respects your prowess as a warrior. He will not cast you out now. Now sleep Tiānshǐ_. _You need to rest." _He kissed her again lovingly as she fell asleep and slept for the night.

_**The next**** morning...**_

Tiānshǐ was still very weak but her wound was healing quickly. As she awoke she found Shang sitting with her and the others gone. _" Shang..? Where is everyone else?" _Sun Shang smiled and spoke shakily. _" They are all at breakfast. We have been very worried. You had a high fever last night as you slept but it passed before morning. We thought you were becoming ill. Don`t scare us like that. " _She gently leaned down and hugged Tiānshǐ. _" Pang De told us about Lu Bu and Diao Chan. I couldn`t believe it but when they told us themselves we knew it was true. You mirror them in almost every way. I am glad your real parents still live but..." _Shang bit her lip and looked sad. _" We will still be sisters right Tiānshǐ? I love you like my sister. I don`t want you to grow apart from us now that your parents have been found." _Tiānshǐ smiled weakly and placed her hand on Shang`s cheek. _" I may have my parents back but I will always be your sister. Nothing can ever change that. Now help me up..im hungry." _Shang helped Tiānshǐ to her feet and supported her as they walked to the dining hall. Everyone stood as they entered the room but Tiānshǐ shook her head. _" Don`t stand for me. I'm not a princess." _Everyone smiled and sat down as Diao Chan spoke. _" You are wrong Tiānshǐ. You are our princess." _She smiled at Lu Bu happily. _" I know mother...but Sun Jian and his family took me in when no one else would. They will always be family to me."_ Diao Chan nodded slowly and spoke clearly so everyone could hear. _" I know. I would not risk harm to you by making you choose, so Lu Bu and I have decided to join Wu to stay close to you. If Sun Jian agrees of course."_ Sun Jian stood and looked at Diao Chan and Lu Bu. _" I would be honored to have my daughter`s true parents become part of our family. I recognise you as Tiānshǐ`s mother and father but...I ask that i can still call her daughter. I have become very fond of her and love her like my own." _Lu Bu hesitated but nodded and Diao Chan spoke for both of them. _" I understand your feelings lord Sun Jian. I would not tear her away from a family that loves her. I agree to allow you and your family to address her as daughter and sister to your children." _They all smiled and Tiānshǐ sat down slowly and gasped in slight pain as she stretched her arms. She was truly happy even though she was wounded. Now she had two families that loved her. As she was brought some breakfast the healers walked into the palace to check on her. They did not want to risk further harm by moving her again so they simply re-stitched and bandaged the wound at the table. No one noticed as they all talked about how unexpected this sudden information was. Once the healers left, Tiānshǐ sipped some warm tea and ate breakfast. She then turned to Lu Bu and Diao Chan. _" I`ve had a room prepared in my house for you if you would like to live with me. It`s a beautiful house with large gardens and walls. " _They nodded happily and Tiānshǐ smiled before turning to Pang De. _" Unfortunately my house can't get any bigger. But I arranged a room for you here in the palace Pang De. I hope it is comfortable."_ Pang De bowed and smiled before assuring her that he had experienced much worse than a room in a palace. _" Dear girl i have slept in a cave during the rainy seasons. A room in the palace is better than what i could ask for. Thank You." _After breakfast Tiānshǐ went back to the healers room to rest for the day. Lu Xun showed Diao Chan and Lu Bu to the house and they`re room inside before leading them on a tour of the garden. _ "The villagers built this house for her after her first two weeks in Wu. They even made the banner she rides with. I hope your room will be comfortable. We had to replace the bed though, We only planned ahead for one person. " _ He smiled and Diao Chan giggled softly before Lu Xun left to return to his love`s side. Lu Bu noticed the bath as they walked through the gardens and Diao Chan suggested that they bathe because they had not since they returned from battle. Lu Bu agreed and they spent the rest of the day sitting under the waterfall. It was very relaxing to be away from battle and in such a peaceful place. As much as Lu Bu desired battle and bloodshed, he could not disagree that this place was beautiful. _" I like it here. We are with our daughter and away from war for a while. I could get used to this." _He smiled at Diao Chan before kissing her gently. Back at the palace, Lu Xun had entered the healing room and was laying next to Tiānshǐ, holding her gently as she slept._" Sleep well my love. When you are healed we need to talk." _ He spoke quietly and kissed her cheek before falling asleep himself.

**There it is! Chapter 7. Please Read and Review ^_^ Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Beginning Of The End  
**

**The two new characters introduced are not from dynasty warriors. I simply looked up ancient chinese word meanings. Liè Shì means Martyr. Qǐ Shì lù means Calamity.  
**

**Chapter 8  
**

It had been almost seven months since Lu Xun and Tiānshǐ first met. They had become extremely close and in the battle to save Diao Chan, Tiānshǐ had been wounded. The wound was not fatal but it had made Lu Xun think that he did not want to lose her so soon. He wanted a life and a future with her. He had something he must talk to her about. Lu Xun waited for her to wake up before telling her that they needed to talk. Tiānshǐ looked nervous but thought it could`nt be anything bad. _"Tiānshǐ lately i`ve come very close to losing you. I don`t want to risk it anymore..not before i get the chance to express my love for you."_ As Tiānshǐ was about to speak, Lu Xun raised his hand and she remained silent. _"Which is why i`ve come to this decision. Tiānshǐ I would be honored if you would become my wife. I understand you are still young as i am, but i cannot stand being apart from you for mere moments anymore. Every moment away from you feels like an eternity. I cannot wait any longer..I love you too much to wait any longer.."_ Tiānshǐ stood slowly and walked over to him. Pulling him close and kissing him deeply she simply looked into his eyes for a moment before answering._ "Yes Xun i am still young. But i will not live forever. I would rather live one life with you than an eternity alone. Yes. I would be honored to become your wife." _She kissed him again lovingly before they got dressed and walked to the palace to tell everyone the good news. Once they had told everyone, Shang was teasing Lu Xun. _"Should we expect to see smaller versions of you two running around soon Xun? " _She was just playing but it made Lu Xun think about the possibility of that. _" Possibly...I can`t predict the future but anything is possible i guess." _He thought to himself silently. He simply shrugged at Shang Xiang and walked back to Tiānshǐ. Lu Bu and Diao Chan were congratulating they`re daughter and Pang De was smiling contentedly. As Lu Xun approached, Lu Bu stepped forward and spoke in a..mildly..aggressive tone. _" Listen carefully boy. If you break her heart. I`ll break your neck. Clear?" _Lu Xun took this as a compliment..somehow..and simply bowed. _" Of course lord Lu Bu. I would suffer no less if i ever hurt her in any way." _He sat down next to Tiānshǐ and held her lovingly as everyone talked for hours about when and where the wedding would be held. Lu Xun and Tiānshǐ decided to hold the wedding in the palace peach blossom gardens where she was most at peace. They decided to wait a month before the wedding day however, due to Tiānshǐ`s wounds worsening because she stretched too far and split the stitches. Lu Xun had decided that it would be best to allow her a month to fully recover before holding the wedding. _" It`s for the best Tiānshǐ._ _I know you don`t like it, neither do i. But i will not risk further injury by holding our wedding so soon after you being wounded." _He kissed her lovingly before leaving to train the new Wu recruits. Tiānshǐ had become friends with two young girls that had joined Wu that week. One was dressed in a dark green dress with gold armor plates on her chest, back and arms. The other was adorned in dark orange cloth and had gleaming silver plate armor with chain mail underneath. The girl in green introduced herself as Liè Shì and the girl in orange introduced herself as Qǐ Shì lù. They became close friends with Tiānshǐ and she often gave them instruction and criticism. Once healed, she would personally train them and they would become her personal guard. She had not told them she wanted them to be her guard yet but she would if they completed they`re training. They were both very accustomed to battle tactics and warfare but Qǐ Shì lù had a higher knowledge of weaponry and armor while Liè Shì was more of a Tactician and siege expert. They would always train hard but they would only use one weapon. Tiānshǐ thought this could make them rather vulnerable..but they were both still younger than her. She would let them learn first before advancing they`re instruction personally. She would always sit in the training arena and watch them train. When they asked her about they`re performance she would always be honest with them, telling them the flaws in defense or offense and giving them constructive criticism on how to improve. They loved her like a mother. She would watch them carefully in coming months. They were almost inseparable most of the time. _" That is the most important factor of all...Time. Only time will tell if they are ready to become warriors." _Tiānshǐ thought to herself as she watched the two girls spar in her garden. _" They will be very hard to separate though.."_ She was correct in that time would tell if these two young girls would become warriors. _" Forgive me girls...I require rest. We shall continue tomorrow. "_ She hugged them both lovingly and went to bed. That night Tiānshǐ was restless. She kept feeling cold even though she had a thick blanket on. She decided to go to the healers in the palace just in case. _" The wound on your side is healing but you have become slightly ill. You will feel weak and hot or cold at times. It will pass. " _She trusted the healers. She knew if she started feeling anything but hot , cold and weak that she would have to spend time with the healers.

_**A few weeks later...**_

Tiānshǐ had fully recovered from her illness. She had high fevers, cold flushes and had become unconscious during her illness, but as the healers had said, it passed. Her wound was now almost fully healed aswell. The stitches were no longer necessary and she was happy. Her wedding was a week away. Lu Xun and Shang Xiang had organised everything while she was ill. She was just leaving the palace as she saw Shang Xiang. _" Hi Shang. Finally recovered. "_ She smiled happily. _" Would you like to join me for lunch in the gardens?"_ Shang smiled and spoke as if she had not seen her sister in months. _" I`d love to! I haven`t walked in the gardens since you became ill. We have all been very worried. Xun, Liè Shì and Qǐ Shì lù did`nt leave your bedside until a week ago. The girls kept missing training and Xun wouldn`t eat or sleep. The healers told them to take care of themselves but it took a bit of extra persuasion." _Shang smiled slightly as they walked to the garden for tea. They sat under the peach blossom tree`s as usual and watched the sunrise together. As the sun got higher into the light blue sky, Lu Xun and the girls walked excitedly into the garden. The healers had told them that Tiānshǐ was fully recovered and where they could find her. The girls both ran to her and almost tackled her with hugs. _"We were so worried! We thought you were going to keep getting worse."_ Liè Shì was almost in tears as Qǐ Shì lù spoke._" We missed you! We missed training so we could watch over you. Our instructor was very understanding." _Tiānshǐ smiled and looked at Lu Xun before replying. _" Only because your instructor is my husband to be. If you trained under lord Lu Bu you would have been in trouble. Don`t miss training for me girls i will be fine...But thank you for staying with me. " _She hugged them tightly as Lu Xun sat behind her and put his arms around her waist. She leaned against him lovingly as if they had been apart for an eternity. He kissed her neck gently and they all talked about the upcoming wedding. Shang Xiang, Liè Shì and Qǐ Shì lù were to be her bridesmaids at the wedding. They were all very excited and happy. Liè Shì and Qǐ Shì lù had a surprise for Tiānshǐ. They had made her a wedding kimono. Tiānshǐ was overly happy when they showed it to her. It was deep crimson with gold stitching and a gold dragon stitched in a coil around the dress from the ankles and the dragon's head was stitched onto the left side of the chest. _" I love it! Thank you so much!" _She hugged them tightly and lovingly and stared at her kimono for a few minutes before returning to Lu Xun in the garden to watch the sunset. _" I have my kimono for the wedding Xun, but i don`t want you to see it yet. I want it to be a surprise."_ Lu Xun smiled and kissed her gently. _" That`s ok__...I love surprises." _ Tiānshǐ smiled as the sun went down. It was a peaceful night and they all decided to sleep under the stars as it was quite warm outside. Tiānshǐ slept happily in Lu Xun`s arms and the two young girls both slept on a branch in the peach blossom tree. While they slept, Sun Ce and Shang Xiang had made Lu Xun a wedding outfit aswell. It was bright red with gold decorative stitching on it. _" He is going to love it. I`m sure Tiānshǐ`s wedding kimono will be similar. The girls do know her very well. She is almost a mother to them." _Shang was very excited about the wedding. _" I`m sure she would take them as daughters if she could. Her wound must finish healing though before she makes any other large decisions." _Sun Ce knew his young sister could be rather reckless at times. But he loved her all the same. _ " She is reckless and head strong...but she is always alert and aware of her surroundings. It would take a lot for someone to sneak up on her even when she sleeps. She has become truly lethal. Very suitable for her title of The Dragon Of Wu."_ Shang had almost jumped as she spoke. _" That`s it! That`s what must be on her kimono! A Dragon!. "_ She smiled as she looked at Ce and he nodded an agreement. They would just have to wait to find out however as Tiānshǐ wanted it to be a surprise for everyone. The only three that knew about her kimono was herself and the two young girls. It was true however that Tiānshǐ had become far more dangerous in the last few months. Lu Bu and Diao Chan had taught her a lot and she had often studied battle tactics and warfare with Lu Xun and Zhou Yu before she had become ill. She was truly like a dragon now. Cunning, Ferocious, Courageous, Reckless and almost Unstoppable. She was a true warrior in the eyes of her family.

_**The next morning.**_

The morning dew was trickling down the peach blossom petals and the girls laughed as it fell and landed on they`re cheeks. Tiānshǐ and Lu Xun were still sleeping as it was very early morning. Liè Shì and Qǐ Shì lù decided to go inside for breakfast and tea. They sat at the table talking about Tiānshǐ`s wedding kimono as Lu Xun walked in._" Good Morning you two. Eat a big breakfast, you have a lot of training to catch up on. It will be a long, hard day today." _He smiled happily as he carried Tiānshǐ into the bedroom and placed her on the bed so she would not be cold. He kissed her cheek and they left for training as Tiānshǐ slept soundly until around midday. When she awoke she decided to have a hot bath and walked outside to sit in the sunshine under her waterfall. She loved sitting under the waterfall..it was always relaxing to sit under it and watch the peach blossoms. She loved her gardens most of all. Lu Bu and Diao Chan rarely stayed in the house as they had been building a house of they`re own just across the square. It was going to be large from the looks of the construction. Much like her own but slightly different. As they had helped build Tiānshǐ`s house, the villagers had helped construct Lu Bu and Diao Chan`s. The work was not yet done but it would`nt take much longer than Tiānshǐ`s house did. It was a blissful life here in Wu. Everyone helped each other and took care of each other. Her family was united and she at last had peace. It would not last forever but at least a few months of peace now and again was a good start. With her wedding now only days away Tiānshǐ sat in her bath and thought of all the things she needed to catch up on. Being ill had cut into her time a fair bit but she would still marry Lu Xun no matter what. It was a dream come true for her to marry the boy she had fallen in love with and that had risked so much for her.

**That`s chapter 8. As always please Read and Review ^_^ thanks!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 9.  
**

In the following 5 days, Tiānshǐ spent most of her time organising her wedding day. In the small moments of spare time she had however, she spent with Lu Xun. _" Our wedding is tomorrow Xun. You`ll have to sleep in the palace tonight." _Tiānshǐ sounded sad but it was tradition. He could not see her until her father Lu Bu walked her down the aisle. _" It`s ok. It is only for one night Tiānshǐ__. Tomorrow we will be back in our house together. And i will never let you be alone again...uh...unless you tell me to of course." _He smiled and kissed her lovingly before leaving for the palace. It was going to be a long night...Tiānshǐ had not slept without Lu Xun since they had arrived in Wu. She was most unsure if she would sleep at all, so she asked Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì to stay the night. Now that Diao Chan and Lu Bu had a room in the palace while they`re house was being built, Tiānshǐ`s spare room was now useable by others. The girls agreed to stay the night as it would make it easier to help Tiānshǐ get ready in the morning. Her wedding was not until midday so they had all morning to get ready. The girls both brought they`re kimonos with them so they did`nt have to leave before helping Tiānshǐ. It was going to be a huge celebration after the wedding. Tiānshǐ was very nervous however.. as much as she loved Lu Xun, she did`nt know if she could..she was worried he would not show up at all.. or would he show up to call the wedding off? _" NO! He has never let me down before and he wont this time!" _Tiānshǐ told herself harshly. _" Stop being a fool. He loves me too much to hurt me. He would never hurt me."_ She thought silently to herself as she put away her kimono and joined the girls in the dining hall for dinner. Tiānshǐ sat down to her favourite dish, Rice, Chicken and fresh steamed vegetables with lemon juice squeezed over the top. She always felt full and content when she had her favourite meal. It always seemed to help her sleep better too..she would need her sleep tonight. If she could manage to sleep without Xun holding her. After dinner she went outside for a bath and sat under the waterfall as usual. As she was watching the stars, she did`nt hear Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì join her. _" Day dreaming again Tiānshǐ?" _Qǐ Shì lù teased playfully._ " Or are you thinking about Xun? " _Tiānshǐ jumped slightly as Qǐ Shì lù spoke but settled once she noticed who said it. _" Thinking of Xun...i don`t know how i will sleep without him tonight...he always makes me feel safe when i sleep." _Liè Shì smiled slightly and held her friend. _" It`s just for one night. You will be back in his arms tomorrow Tiānshǐ. I`m sure he will miss holding you tonight but he won`t let you go tomorrow." _Tiānshǐ smiled and they all watched the stars for a while before going to bed. At first it was hard for Tiānshǐ to fall asleep but after a few minutes of thinking about Xun`s safe embrace, she fell asleep happily.

_**The next morning...**_

_" Wake up Tiānshǐ! Today is the big day! _" Qǐ Shì lù shook her gently and smiled as Tiānshǐ opened her eyes slowly. _" I know..I`m so excited!" _Tiānshǐ was truly excited about being married to Lu Xun. All the worry she had thought about the day before had all faded to nothingness. It was today however that her life was going to be changed forever. It was today that her bright future was to begin. _" Come on __Tiānshǐ_! We h_ave to get ready! Your wedding is at midday! Lets go have breakfast and then we will get the kimono`s ready." _Both Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì were so excited to be bridesmaids and all sat down talking about it while eating breakfast. As they finished breakfast Shang Xiang arrived. She was Tiānshǐ`s third bridesmaid. They were all very excited to see Shang dressed in a bright red dress with a gold sunrise sewn on the front. _" Hurry up you three! The wedding is soon and i need to fix Tiānshǐ`s hair!" _They all laughed happily as Tiānshǐ and the two girls got dressed into they`re kimono`s. Shang had not yet seen Tiānshǐ`s kimono and she smiled brightly as Tiānshǐ stepped into the room. _" It`s beautiful! It suits you perfectly. A dragon kimono for a dragon princess. You look amazing Tiānshǐ " _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged Shang before sitting down so Shang could fix her hair. Shang curled Tiānshǐ`s hair into a knot at the back and held it in place with a pair of crimson chopsticks with gold dragons on them. Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì helped with her face paint. She had deep crimson lips and gold eye liner with a small dragon in black on her cheek. She looked perfect. As the others finished putting on they`re paint it was time to go to the palace. A small cart awaited them outside so they didn`t have to walk to the palace in they`re kimono`s. As they arrived, Lu Bu and Diao Chan were waiting for them. _" You are perfect my dear daughter." _Diao Chan hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead gently. _" A perfect daughter for a perfect mother" _Tiānshǐ smiled as Diao Chan stepped back so Lu Bu could hug his daughter. _" You may be a girl but you are also the perfect son my daughter. I would not ask for a better child. I am very proud of you." _She blushed slightly as her father hugged her. _" Thank you father...I am honoured and blessed to have such wond__erful and loving parents. __Father..I want you to give me to Lu Xun properly ok? But be nice..I don`t want him to be frightened on my wedding day." _Lu Bu nodded and smiled. _" Alright I will be nice and give you away properly._ " Tiānshǐ hugged her father tightly before they all walked to the palace gardens. Shang and Diao Chan would walk the aisle first, followed by Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì. Once the bridesmaids were in place, Lu Bu would walk his daughter down the aisle and give her to the man who loved her. Lu Bu was proud to walk his daughter down the aisle. As they reached the peach blossom gardens, they saw two girls with large fans waiting for them. _" We haven`t met before..I`m Da Qiao and this is my sister Xiao Qiao. I am married to Sun Ce and Xiao is wife to Zhou Yu. They asked us to attend today to help you if you needed us. We are honoured to be here on your wedding day Tiānshǐ. We have heard a lot about you." _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged them both gently. _" Thank you for coming. I would be honoured if you could make sure the boys are all organised..they can be rather flighty at times." _They smiled and the two Qiao`s walked into the garden to check on the others. As Tiānshǐ and her small group of escorts talked about the order of which they would walk down the aisle, Xiao Qiao interrupted. _" Everything is ready. I have been instructed to tell Tiānshǐ that she will walk the aisle when she hears the flute play." _She then left and sat with her sister. Tiānshǐ was excited to be walking to her husband to the sound of a flute. It was gentle and melodic, much like the peach blossoms that fell all around her wedding area. The entire city was attending and the garden was rather crowded. Everyone had a seat however and the wedding was about to begin. _" Stay calm Tiānshǐ. It is a happy day today." _Shang smiled before she walked down the aisle beside Diao Chan. Shortly after the two young warriors Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì followed. Tiānshǐ took a deep slow breath as she heard the flute begin to play and she walked towards Lu Xun with her father Lu Bu. She saw Lu Xun standing in front of Sun Jian. Beside Lu Xun was Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and Sun Quan. Lu Xun could not help but stare at his gorgeous bride. She looked absolutely perfect in every way. As they reached Lu Xun, Lu Bu spoke. _" I, Lu Bu hereby give my daughter Tiānshǐ to lord Lu Xun to be his wife and love." _Tiānshǐ hugged her father before standing in front of Lu Xun. Sun Jian spoke as Sun Ce handed Lu Xun two gold rings. _" Do you Lu Xun take Tiānshǐ as your wife to love and cherish until death do you part?"_ Lu Xun smiled and put the ring onto Tiānshǐ`s finger gently. _" I do." _Sun Jian nodded and turned to Tiānshǐ. _" Do you Tiānshǐ take Lu Xun as your husband to care for in sickness and in health until death do you part?" _ Tiānshǐ smiled and put the other ring onto Lu Xun`s finger gently. _" I do." _ Sun Jian nodded once more and spoke loudly so all could hear him. _" Then i declare you husband and wife and name you Lady Tiānshǐ Xun. You may now kiss your bride Lu Xun."_ Lu Xun pulled her close gently and kissed her deeply as the crowd stood and cheered. It was a very happy day and the city was holding a huge festival as celebration. Everyone was happy and they celebrated until dawn.

_**The next morning..**_

_" Good morning my beautiful wife." _Lu Xun kissed her lovingly. _" Good morning my dear husband. How did you sleep?" _Tiānshǐ touched his cheek gently as he smiled. _"_ _Better than i have in a very long time Tiānshǐ. I love you." _She blushed lightly and kissed him. _" As i love you Xun "_ After getting dressed and having breakfast they decided to have a picnic lunch in the palace garden. They were joined by all they`re friends and family. They spent all day in the gardens and spoke of how well the wedding went and how much fun they all had at the festival. As the night began to set in, they were approached by a warrior dressed in a deep green colour. _" My lord`s and ladies. I am Zhao Yun and i come with a message from my lord Liu Bei. He asks that the Dragon Of Wu come to his palace for a meeting." _ Lu Bu stood quickly and spoke with force. _" And what does __Liu Bei want with my daughter?! What does he require that she has to ride all the way to Shu just to meet him?" _Zhao Yun stepped back quickly as Lu Bu stood and he almost seemed fearful. _" M..my lord would not say but he says it is most urgent." _Tiānshǐ and the others all stood next and looked at Zhao Yun. _" I agree. But i will bring my father Lu Bu and my husband Lu Xun with me. Plus a regiment of soldiers with me as a personal guard. Tell your lord i will arrive in two weeks. I have only just been married and need time with my husband." _Zhao Yun bowed low and left swiftly to deliver her message to Liu Bei. As he left Tiānshǐ turned to her family. _" With both my father and my husband there, plus my personal guard, Liu Bei would not dare try anything." _ They all smiled and talked about why it could be so urgent that she meet with Liu Bei...Perhaps he had taken interest in her? It could`nt be. Even though she was known all across the land, it was surprising to be approached by Shu so quickly. They would however find out soon enough what Liu Bei wanted with her as they all went to bed.

**Chapter 9! Please Read and Review! Thanks ^_^!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 10  
**

Two weeks had passed and it was time to ride for Shu. Tiānshǐ had been prepared the day before with her weapons and armor cleaned and strapped to her horse. She would be accompanied by Lu Bu, Diao Chan, Lu Xun and Shang Xiang. She would also be escorted by a full regiment of Wu soldiers just to be sure. It was strange that Shu wanted to meet her so quickly after the battle at Hu Lao gate...what would they want with her?. They discussed this small mystery as they set out for the land of Shu. It would take them two days to reach the Shu capital from Wu. It would feel like a long ride but there were many things to talk about while they were on the road. What seemed like a full day actually passed quickly as they reached the border between Wu and Shu. They arrived at a small river and decided to camp the night here. They set up they`re tents and built small fires as some of the soldiers decided to try to catch some fish. Shang Xiang, Lu Xun , Tiānshǐ, Lu Bu and Diao Chan sat around the fire and talked until late at night. Tiānshǐ leant against Lu Xun gently and he held his arms around her until they all decided to go to bed. Tiānshǐ lay awake for a couple of hours before stepping outside to look at the stars and sit by the warm fire. She had a lot to think about. All the possibilities of why Shu wanted to meet her. What possible reason could Liu Bei have for wanting her to meet him? And why was it so urgent?. She thought it best to think of these things tomorrow as she went back to bed.

_**The next**** morning...**_

Tiānshǐ awoke alone and wondered where Lu Xun was until she heard his voice outside the tent. _" Good morning everyone" _Tiānshǐ sat happily with Lu Xun and ate her breakfast._ "We should reach the Shu capital city before nightfall. It isn't very far now."_ They packed up the camp and when everyone was ready they once again set off for the Shu capital. Along the way they rode past several small villages. They were greeted with strange looks and distant stares as they passed. Perhaps the villagers thought they were riding to war?. It did`nt seem much of an idea in Tiānshǐ`s mind. War with Shu was pointless right now. They had nothing that was worth going to war over. As Tiānshǐ thought about why the villagers looked so...strangely..at them, she saw the Shu capital city on the horizon. It would not take long to reach it if they rode fast but then the soldiers would be left behind. _" No. We will stay together incase Liu Bei is planning something."_ Tiānshǐ thought to herself as the capital grew nearer and nearer. It was tempting to race Shang to the capital but they would have to wait until they got home to have fun. This did after all seem like a very " important " occasion. As they finally reached the gates of the capital they noticed that the city walls were lined with archers. Prehaps Liu Bei was not a complete fool after all. It seemed that he had expected them to do something that may trigger a battle. Tiānshǐ was no fool. Who did Liu Bei think he was dealing with? She was not stupid enough to spark a pointless battle in the middle of Shu territory. They had nothing to fight over anyway. Tiānshǐ still did not trust the Shu lord as they all put they`re horses in the stable and walked towards the palace. As they entered the main hall of the palace they saw Zhao Yun waiting for them at the door to the throne room. _" Welcome to Shu Lady Tiānshǐ. It is an honour to have you here. Lord Liu Bei is waiting for you, but i must ask that you proceed alone." _Tiānshǐ looked at him strangely. _"No. If my family must wait outside then i will refuse to see your lord. Either my family join me or i will take my leave." _Zhao Yun looked worried for a moment before telling them to wait as he entered the throne room and talked to Liu Bei. After a few short moments Zhao Yun returned and bowed to Tiānshǐ. _" My lord has agreed to allow your family to enter. Please proceed quickly, my lord is anxious to meet you." _Tiānshǐ nodded and they entered the throne room cautiously. As they slowly approached Liu Bei they noticed he was also accompanied by a small group of generals. They noticed various generals standing around Liu Bei. They saw Xing Cai, Guan Yu, Guan Ping, Zhuge Liang, Yue Ying, Zhang Fei and Pang Tong. When they reached the group of Shu generals, Liu Bei stood and bowed directly to Tiānshǐ. _" Welcome to Shu young warrior. I have heard much about you. It is a true pleasure to meet such a..legendary...warrior such as yourself. Tell me though.. how did you get your name? The Dragon Of Wu?."_ Tiānshǐ looked around at the small group of generals before answering. _" It was given to me by Sun Jian after i killed the leader of the yellow turbans. But that is not why you asked me here. You want to know if the rumours of Cao Cao`s death are true"_ Liu Bei looked amazed, as if she had read his mind. _" Y..Yes i do want to know the truth. Who better to ask than the person rumoured to have shot the arrow that killed Cao Cao?" _Tiānshǐ smiled slightly and walked to a pillar before leaning against it gently. _" Yes i did kill Cao Cao. I used an arrow that was tipped with poison. My father Lu Bu was fighting Cao Ren so i could have a clear shot." _ Lu Bu stepped forward and nodded. _" It is true. Cao Ren was rather quick to try to defeat me but did no__t notice my daughter aiming her arrow for Cao Cao." _Liu Bei looked surprised by her tactics. Distract the bodyguard with an unbeatable opponent for a clean shot at the leader. It was a brilliant strategy. The Shu generals were discussing its possibilities as Liu Bei spoke again. _" Such a bright and talented young warrior. A shame you are a soldier of Wu. It would be an honour to have you here in Shu." _Tiānshǐ had not taken this well however. It almost sounded like he wished she were a traitor. She spoke with anger in her voice as she stepped towards Liu Bei. _" Normally i would take that as a compliment. However it is well-known throughout the land that i am married to Lu Xun. If you try that line again Liu Bei, make no mistake i will kill you. Do not insult me again by trying such a pathetic attempt at getting my affection." _Before anyone could say a word Tiānshǐ had turned and walked out of the throne room. As she was walking back towards the stables, Xing Cai caught up to her. _" Wait! i am sorry for how my lord acted..he has been very lonely of late and he should not have advanced on a married woman. You have our greatest apologies. He is not normally like that. My name is Xing Cai and i would ask a favour of you." _Tiānshǐ looked slightly hesitant before answering. _" What favour would you ask of me Xing Cai?"_ Xing Cai bowed slightly and looked at the group around Tiānshǐ. _" Take me with you. I don`t really like it here. It is really boring here and i grow tired of the constant complaining of Liu Bei. I would be honoured to serve you." _Tiānshǐ looked shocked and looked at Lu Xun and Shang Xiang before answering. _" It is alright with me. However you should go to your lords and tell them your plan. We will wait for you at the stables." _As Xing Cai ran back to the throne room, Tiānshǐ and her group walked to the stables and waited for Xing Cai to return. As they started talking about Xing Cai joining them, She had returned but she was not alone. _" This is Guan Ping. He also would like to join you. He is a brother to me and i would not leave him behind. The lords have all agreed to allow us to join you." _Tiānshǐ thought for a moment before nodding and riding toward the main gate of the city. Her soldiers were waiting at the gate to escort them all home. It was almost nightfall so they would not get far before making camp for the night. Having two new friends would certainly make life interesting back in Wu. How would they get along and fit in with the Sun family however was yet to be seen. A few hours after they had left the capital, it was nightfall and they decided to set up camp for the night. Tiānshǐ went to bed rather earlier than normal but she was tired and needed to rest. Lu Xun joined her as the others stayed awake for a while longer to talk to the two new warriors they had found in Shu.

_**The next**** day...**_

The soldiers had left ahead of them so Tiānshǐ could sleep longer. They all knew she was very tired. She slept until late morning before Lu Xun woke her up._ "I am sorry to wake you my love but we must go. The soldiers left earlier so you could sleep longer. It is almost midday so we must catch up with the escort."_ Tiānshǐ yawned slightly before sitting up and kissing Lu Xun gently_. __" Ok lets go..they will be far ahead so we must ride fast." _They packed up the camp quickly and rode as fast as possible to catch up with the soldiers. Before they realised it, they had crossed the border again and could see the soldiers ahead. For such heavily armored troops they could certainly walk fast. Tiānshǐ and her group caught up with them and slowed down so they did not leave them behind. As the day drew on, they decided to walk with the soldiers. They dismounted and walked for hours before they finally saw the Wu capital far, far into the distance. Only about a day journey away, they walked on until night fell upon them. They set up camp and all went to bed. Early the next morning they left for the capital and arrived slightly before midday. Tiānshǐ and Lu Xun went home to sleep while everyone else went to the palace to tell Sun Jian about what had happened in Shu. Xing Cai and Guan Ping were given red versions of they`re armor to wear and rooms in the palace. Everything was quiet for the day as Tiānshǐ slept until the following day. For some reason the ride to and from Shu had exhausted her. This was most unusual...She loved riding no matter the distance and it normally left her feeling refreshed yet she seemed to be...drained. As if she had not eaten in a week. It was strange and made Lu Xun worried. He asked the healers from the palace to check on her. _" She is fine. She just hasn't been sleeping much from the looks of her. Let her sleep for a few days and she will be alright." _Lu Xun was relieved to hear that she just needed some sleep. He was always worrying about her since her injury while rescuing her mother, Diao Chan. He would protect her from all harm if it cost him his life. He would not leave her side until she awoke though. He wanted to keep a close eye on her incase it was not just a lack of sleep. Lu Xun decided to have a bath while she slept and went outside.

**Thats it Chapter 10! Please Read and Review. Thanks!^_^**


	11. Chapter 11

** The Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 11.  
**

Tiānshǐ awoke three days later to find Lu Xun sitting next to the bed. He looked as if he had not slept for those three days that Tiānshǐ had slept. _"You have`nt slept have you Xun?" _Lu Xun simply shook his head as he hugged her. _" I was too worried. I could`nt sleep while being so worried." _He kissed her gently before laying next to her. _" Get some rest Xun. I`m fine. I just needed some sleep."_ Lu Xun nodded and fell asleep without a word. Tiānshǐ however, decided to go and see Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì. They had probably been very worried about her. As she stepped out of the house she saw the two young warriors sparring in the courtyard. _" Morning girls. " _Tiānshǐ smiled before picking up a training sword. _" Want a real challenge?" _The girls looked at each other and smiled for a moment before charging. As they struck though, Tiānshǐ stepped and the second sword that no one saw her pick up with the first was held at Liè Shì`s throat and the other at Qǐ Shì lù`s throat. _" Double Kill. You need to work on your speed and watch everything your opponent does." _She smiled as the two girls stepped back. _" We have been practicing a lot lately but we can`t seem to move faster."_ Tiānshǐ simply smiled and put the swords away. _" It is`nt that hard. You just have to watch your enemy carefully and act before they do. You will learn it in time. " _The two girls smiled and they walked to the palace so Tiānshǐ could talk to Shang Xiang. _" We were all worried about you Tiānshǐ. I`m glad you just needed sleep." _Shang smiled as they all sat down for lunch in the gardens. As they sat talking, Lu Xun walked into the gardens and sat behind Tiānshǐ. _" I thought you were sleeping Xun" _Lu Xun smiled as Tiānshǐ spoke and he kissed her neck gently. _" I was sleeping. But sleeping without you is rather difficult." _Tiānshǐ kissed him gently and they sat and talked until around midday before Xing Cai and Guan Ping joined them. Xing Cai sat beside Shang Xiang and Guan Ping climbed onto the branch of one of the peach blossom trees. He looked towards the horizon as the sun started setting. Tiānshǐ, Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì decided to stay up and watch the stars as everyone else went to bed. They sat and stared at the stars until around midnight. Tiānshǐ decided she wanted a bath so she walked home. As she sat under the waterfall looking at the stars she wondered how long this small time of peace would last...could it last forever? Or was forever just a childs prayer? A simple strand of hope?. She did`nt know but she was sure that it would not last forever. Afterall no good thing ever lasts forever. She would find out one way or another so now it did`nt seem all that important. However she had a feeling that something was going to happen...soon. Perhaps a battle? Again she did`nt know but she sat under her waterfall and thought about it until dawn.

_**The next** **morning...**_

She finished her bath and got dressed before climbing onto the walls of her house to watch the sunrise. It was a beautiful sunrise...the sky was a light shade of pink as the sun shone over the horizon. She was lying on the wall as Lu Xun woke up. He was`nt worried that she was`nt in bed but he was curious about where she could be. There were not that many places she could go so she had to be close. He decided to ask the two young warriors she was almost inseparable from. _" Sorry Xun. We have`nt seen her since last night. She did say she wanted a bath though so she might be there" _Lu Xun did`nt seem surprised. She did seem to have something on her mind the day before. As Lu Xun entered the gardens at they`re house, he saw Tiānshǐ sitting atop the walls looking towards the horizon. He climbed up the same way she must have...a peach blossom tree that had overgrown the wall, before sitting next to her. _" Are you ok? You seem distracted " _Tiānshǐ sat up and leant against him gently. _" I've just been wondering how long this peace will last. I only just found my family and started my new life...I don`t want it to end. "_ Lu Xun held her lovingly and kissed her cheek gently. _" It won`t end. I promise. It will last until we grow old with a family of our own. " _Tiānshǐ smiled and closed her eyes as he held her. His touch always calmed her. They sat on the wall and watched what was left of the sunrise together before Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì walked into the gardens to see Tiānshǐ._ " You two ok up there? You look like your lost in the sky. " _Tiānshǐ smiled and leapt down from the wall and looked into the girls eyes. _" I just kept wondering how long this peace would last. I don`t want it to end yet but Lu Xun has put my mind at ease"_ The two young girls smiled happily and they all walked towards the palace garden to continue training. They stopped at Tiānshǐ`s house so that she could get her armor and weapons. As she walked out of her house though, she felt a slight, rather unnatural breeze and she drew her blades and held one at her side and one to her front. _" You may have been able to sneak up on me when we first met Zuo Ci but it will not work now." _Her friends looked surprised, as if she was talking to the wind itself. They were amazed to see a man appear in front of Tiānshǐ and looked between Tiānshǐ and the mysterious man who just appeared. _" It seems I can no longer scare you young one. You have become a most fearsome warrior. I am very impressed." _Tiānshǐ smiled and stepped forward slightly. _" Glad to surprise you Zuo Ci. To what do i owe the unique pleasure of your presence?" _She sounded teasing, as if they were very old friends. Even though they had only met on one occasion before now they spoke like they had known each other for years. _" I just came to check on you. Don`t want such a defined warrior straying off her destined path now do we?" _He smiled as he once again vanished and Tiānshǐ sheathed her katana`s. As Tiānshǐ stepped back again her group of friends looked at her in awe. _" Who was that?" _Tiānshǐ smiled and continued walking to the palace. _" Just a guide. He was the one that told me i had a destiny outside the dungeon he found me in. " _As they reached the garden they noticed Shang Xiang and Guan Ping sitting on the branches of one of the peach blossom trees. Tiānshǐ thought she would scare Shang so she drew her bow and aimed for the branch above her. As the arrow hit the branch, Shang Xiang fell out of the tree. _ " Ouch! Tiānshǐ! Why did you scare me like that?" _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged her sister gently. _" I`m sorry Shang i just could`nt resist " _ They both laughed before sitting in they`re usual picnic spot. They sat and talked until late afternoon before Tiānshǐ decided to go find Lu Xun. She found him in the palace war room studying tactics. _" Working hard my love? How long have you been studying? " _Lu Xun looked at her with very tired eyes before speaking sleepily. _" All day...i still haven`t slept." _Tiānshǐ looked concerned so she took his hand and they went home to bed.

**_That night Tiānshǐ had a dream that was much like the one she had back in her cell before Lu Xun took her to the Wu lords. This one however seemed to be of an upcoming battle. She saw herself surrounded by Wei soldiers. Lu Xun and the rest of her family were nowhere to be seen. The battle appeared to be a fools fight. It looked like pure suicide. One girl against an entire army of Wei soldiers and generals. She saw a look of hatred in the eyes of the soldiers. As she drew her blades she felt a sudden surge of hopelessness. This battle could only end one way..it seemed inevitable. But she would not give up without a fight. As she charged the soldiers she woke up sweating._**

_" I have to tell Xun about that dream. I don`t want to wake him now though..i`ll tell him tomorrow. " _Breathing heavily she sat awake for a while before calming and going back to sleep. Was this dream just that? A mere dream? it had seemed so real. Perhaps it was a slight glimpse into the future. As she fell asleep she thought about what it meant. Perhaps it was just an instinct telling her something? She did`nt know. She would figure it out later. First she had to tell Lu Xun and the rest of her family. Surely they might know what it meant.

_**The next morning...**_

Tiānshǐ awoke alone and after getting dressed she walked to the palace. She found everyone sitting in the main hall talking. As she entered, Sun Jian stood and spoke. _" Ah..Tiānshǐ we were just talking about you"_ Tiānshǐ looked surprised. _" About me father? Have i done something wrong?" _ As she sat down she noticed a man in green robes with a tall staff sitting beside Sun Jian. _" Not at all Tiānshǐ. This is Pang Tong of Shu. He says that Liu Bei has sent him here to teach you magic." _Before Tiānshǐ could speak Pang Tong stood and spoke to her directly. _" My lord Liu Bei feels that magic may be a very useful asset when combined with your heightened combat abilities. It is his wish that i teach you everything i know if you accept this offer." _As surprised as Tiānshǐ was she stood and bowed. _" I accept your offer Pang Tong but what magic could you teach me?"_ Pang Tong chuckled slightly. _" I can teach you how to use the elements around you to aid you in battle. I cannot teach you to control them but you will be able to harness them when you need to. It will be difficult to learn however."_ Tiānshǐ smiled as she sat back down. _" I would not be the Dragon Of Wu if i walked away from a hard trial. I accept. I can do this. I will learn this magic and use it to defend my people and family." _Pang Tong nodded slightly as Tiānshǐ spoke about her strange dream. _" Such a dream is very concerning. It is not often a person can see a glimpse of future events but the future is ever-changing Tiānshǐ. Do not pay it much attention. Just because you have seen that piece of the future does not mean that it will come to pass. " _Pang Tong spoke wisely and everyone agreed with him. Tiānshǐ decided to ignore her dream..for now. She knew it meant something more but she did not want to argue with anyone now so she simply agreed and walked with Pang Tong to the gardens. _" First i will teach you wind. You can use the wind to give you speed in battle or to slow your enemies. You must concentrate and feel the air around you." _By late afternoon she had learned to feel the air around her. She still had a lot to learn but she was catching on fairly quickly. As the sunset loomed on the horizon, Pang Tong advised her to go to bed and rest. _" You need your sleep Tiānshǐ. Learning the elements is physically and mentally draining. Get some rest. Tomorrow we will continue your lessons. "_ Tiānshǐ bowed and went home to bed with Lu Xun. She slept soundly that night and nothing woke her during the night.

**That`s Chapter 11! Please Read and Review ^_^ Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12

**The Beginning Of The End.**

**Chapter 12.  
**

**_Tiānshǐ had quickly learned how to harness the wind to increase her speed. She had also learned how to move so quietly that she could not be heard by even the most attentive of the city guards. Ofcourse this small ability did not make her invisible but it would certainly make her a very effective hunter. She spent a few days playing " hide and seek " with some of the guards. They did`nt hear her approaching most of the time but they also learned to stay extra alert when__ Tiānshǐ was not sleeping._**

_" The guards caught you again did`nt they? " _Lu Xun had been worried that Tiānshǐ was making too much of a game out of her new abilities. _" Yes but that`s the whole idea. If they learn to catch someone as fast as I am then nothing will get past them will it? _" Lu Xun could not deny that she had become dangerously swift in her training with Pang Tong. However Lu Xun did not know that Tiānshǐ had taught Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì everything she was learning. It would certainly help them with they`re upcoming trials but Tiānshǐ was certain that Lu Xun, or anyone else for that matter would disapprove of her idea. The two girls were learning almost as quickly as Tiānshǐ did. They had easily learned to move unheard and part of they`re next trial was to move unseen. Tiānshǐ hoped that being too fast to be heard may help to avoid being seen. She was certain it would at least help a little. The answer would have to wait however because today Pang Tong was going to teach her about water. _" The ability to move like a flowing river is not unheard of but is exceedingly difficult to master. You must meditate near the river until you can understand how the water flows. To truly understand that you must listen to the sound of the river and watch every small move the water makes. I will return later to check on you"_ Tiānshǐ had a feeling this was going to get boring rather quickly but she did want to learn this magic as Pang Tong called it. It did`nt seem anything like the magic she had ever heard about. Zuo Ci appearing out of thin air was rather magical but that`s about all the magic Tiānshǐ had ever seen before. She did`nt think about it for long however, She sat beside the river as Pang Tong had instructed and closed her eyes to listen to the river. _" First I`ll listen. Then ill watch."_ She thought to herself as the sounds of the flowing water filled her ears. After a few hours of meditating and listening to the water she felt that she understood how the water flowed. Now she needed to know how the water was able to avoid most obstacles. She sat for what seemed like a day and watched the water in silence. After a few hours Pang Tong returned. _" How is your training coming alo.." _Before he could finish his sentence however, Tiānshǐ had moved and taken his staff playfully. _" Excellent Tiānshǐ. __You have learned how to move with the grace and flow of a river. Combine that with your ability to move unheard and you will become very hard to detect. Now go and rest._ _Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì have a trial tomorrow and they asked me to tell you that they would like you to watch them."_ Tiānshǐ smiled and bowed before going home to have some dinner. As she walked into her house she got a surprise. She saw Lu Xun, Shang Xiang, Sun Ce , Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì all standing around the table talking. _" What are you all doing here? I thought you were out training today." _Lu Xun smiled as they stepped back slowly so Tiānshǐ could see what they were doing. Her armor was laying on the table but it was different. There was a symbol on each piece of armor. One for fire on the chest plate, One for water on the bracers, One for wind on the boots and One for earth on the helmet. _" We thought since you are learning to use them in combat, why not have them on your armor too? " _Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì smiled at her as she stepped forward to look closely at the symbols. Each had a colour that matched the element it represented. _" They are beautiful..Thank you. " _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged them all gently before speaking to the two girls. _" You two have a trial tomorrow. You should go get some rest. You two aswell Shang and Ce. You are both busy tomorrow so go rest." _She smiled playfully as they all left and Tiānshǐ walked outside for a bath. Her waterfall reminded her of her training at the river as she sat quietly and listened to the sound it made. As she opened her eyes she noticed Lu Xun walking out of the house but trying his best not to look at her. _" Xun what are you doing? " _ As she spoke Lu Xun jumped slightly. _" I did`nt look i swear!"_ Tiānshǐ giggled slightly. _" Xun im your wife. It`s ok if you want to join me." _ She blushed slightly as Lu Xun undressed and slowly stepped into the bath. _" I have meant to ask you but...you have had a lot to keep you busy lately."_ Tiānshǐ leant against him lovingly. _" I know. I haven`t had much time to spend with you Xun._ _But I will make time after tomorrow. I`ll have a day away from training and we can go riding or have a picnic or something. Just the two of us." _Lu Xun smiled and kissed her gently as they sat under the stars and listened to the waterfall. After an hour of sitting in silence, Lu Xun spoke. _" It`s time we went to bed. You need your energy. The girls are really excited about tomorrow. They can`t wait to show you what they have learned."_ Tiānshǐ stood up slowly. _" Showing me is a bit of an understatement Xun...I`m the one they have to fight tomorrow to pass the trial. __I`ve been keeping it secret so they don`t get nervous. I don`t want them to lose they`re confidence before the trial."_ Lu Xun looked shocked at this plan._" But your undefeatable! How can the girls beat you?!_ _" _Tiānshǐ looked slightly sad..and a bit ashamed. _" Xun it was`nt my idea. Sun Jian told me that if i did`nt do it then Lu Bu would. At least they stand a small chance against me. Against my father they would probably be killed. I would rather them try to beat me then die trying to beat my father." _After hearing this Lu Xun seemed to understand her reasoning. _" Ok but don`t make it absolutely impossible. They may have to pass a trial by combat to become soldiers but that does`nt mean we have to demolish they`re dreams entirely." _Tiānshǐ nodded before heading to bed. As she lay there she wondered if Lu Xun was right...How could they beat her? The Dragon Of Wu? The unstoppable soldier? It did seem rather impossible. Even if she wasn`t literally unstoppable. She could`nt make it easy on the girls or Sun Jian would tell Lu Bu to fight instead. She had to fight with all her strength and abilities. As she fell asleep she hoped the girls were ready for the trial.

_**The next morning...**_

It was time. Tiānshǐ was`nt overly happy to fight her two best friends. They were like daughters to her. But she had to. They would`nt stand a chance against Lu Bu. Tiānshǐ might have beaten him but for two new recruits to achieve the same victory was almost inconceivable. She put her katanas on the table before putting on her armor. After strapping her weapons on, she walked to the courtyard slowly. As she approached the training arena she heard Sun Jian speak. _" You have both learned a lot these past few months. To become full soldiers of Wu you mast pass a trial by combat. You will fight someone i have personally chosen and if you defeat her you will become soldiers of Wu and be given the choice of the general you wish to serve. Let the trial begin!" _The girls looked around excitedly for the girl they would fight but as they saw the crowd divide and Tiānshǐ approach slowly and put her helmet on, they`re excitement slowly faded. "_We have to fight Tiānshǐ? But..but she is like a mother to us..__" _Sun Jian looked at Tiānshǐ before speaking. _" I know this is a difficult trial. But i chose between Tiānshǐ and lord Lu Bu. I chose an opponent that would not kill you. Now let the battle begin. Draw your swords." _Before Tiānshǐ drew her katanas she looked up at Sun Jian. _" Never make me do this again. I will never fight my family or friends. This is a trial so they may join me in real combat but that does`nt mean im happy to do it__. This is the last time it will happen father." _Sun Jian simply nodded as Tiānshǐ drew her blades. _" Ok girls...Don`t hold back!" _She charged with the speed she had learned from Pang Tong and slashed at the girls forcefully. As the girls blocked she moved again and struck towards they`re necks. As they blocked this time though, Tiānshǐ stepped sideways and spun, knocking the swords out of the two girls hands. As she stepped again, both Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì had rolled towards they`re swords, picked them up and struck at Tiānshǐ. Tiānshǐ quickly blocked and stepped again, trying to disarm the two girls once more. Before she could though, the girls charged and Tiānshǐ only managed to block one sword as the other hit her shoulder plate and knocked it off. Tiānshǐ stepped back slightly and looked at her shoulder to see if the blade pierced her chain mail. After seeing no cuts, she moved in a way that almost looked like surrender. As the girls charged however, Tiānshǐ jumped into the air and slashed downwards, knocking the girls helmets off. As she landed though, she felt a hard kick to the back of her knees and she fell forward. Before she could react, Liè Shì pulled her head back and the two girls had they`re blades at her throat. Before anyone could talk, the two girls spoke in unison. _" Kill "._ Tiānshǐ actually looked frightened as the girls let go of her and sheathed they`re swords. As Sun Jian spoke, a tear fell from Tiānshǐ`s face and landed on the katana in front of her. _"Congratulations girls. You have passed. You are now Soldiers and warriors of Wu and may choose the general you wish to serve." _Sun Jian did`nt sound surprised. As Tiānshǐ sat on her knees looking at her blades, Qǐ Shì lù knelt beside her and hugged her. _"I`m sorry Tiānshǐ...we had to.."_ Tiānshǐ nodded but the ferocity that the two girls had shown when they had they`re blades at her throat had scared her. They sounded so..serious.. so un-hesitant that they may actually kill her. Before Tiānshǐ could speak the two girls had each picked up one of her katanas and handed it to her. _" There is only one general in the world we will fight for. We pledge ourselves to Tiānshǐ. We will protect her when no one else can. And when she cannot protect herself." _Sun Jian bowed. _" Then rise and __put on your armor. Welcome to the Wu army." _As Sun Jian turned to walk away however, Tiānshǐ spoke. _" There is one more small detail before everyone leaves." _She then turned to Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì and placed a hand on they`re shoulders. _" You have both been like daughters to me. I would be honoured if you would truly become my daughters. I would love to adopt you both as my daughters and have you live in my house in a room of your own." _Sun Jian was the first to speak as the two girls almost burst into tears._"If the girls accept your offer then it will be known that they are the daughters of a true warrior and I am certain a wonderful mother. " _He smiled as Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì both hugged Tiānshǐ and tears flowed down they`re cheeks. _" We would never say no. We would love to be your adopted daughters." _ Tiānshǐ smiled but before walking home with her new daughters, she spoke with all her heart. _" You two are excellent warriors. The ferocity and skill you showed today.." _She was a bit hesitant at first but spoke again shortly after. _ "It scared me. You sounded as if you were actually going to kill me. I forgot for a moment that it was just a trial." _The two girls looked slightly saddened. _" We are sorry. We did`nt mean to scare you._ _We just really wanted to pass the test."_ Tiānshǐ smiled however and hugged them both very lovingly. _" Don`t apolog__ise girls. I am very proud of you both. You showed great skill and persistance today. Even though you had to fight me you fought with all your hearts. That is what a true warrior does." _ Tiānshǐ hugged them again gently before they went inside for lunch. They sat and talked until late afternoon about the trial. Before they went to bed Tiānshǐ showed the girls they`re new room. It had two beds and tall cupboards. In the corner there was a small table with two pots on it. _" A gift. make sure they grow strong like you both have. " _As the girls settled into they`re room, Tiānshǐ went to bed. Lu Xun was sleeping in the palace tonight because he had a mission to go on tomorrow. When he got back, they would not be separated for a few days. She wanted some time just for her and Lu Xun before continuing her training.

**There it is Chapter 12! Please read and review! Thanks! ^_^**


	13. Chapter 13

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 13**

**While Tiānshǐ was sleeping, Lord Sun Jian received a letter saying that the Nanman tribes were raising an army. Sun Jian sent Lu Xun to investigate. However Lu Xun had not returned and Sun Jian received a second letter at nearly midday stating that Lu Xun had been captured by the Nanman.**

_" They have asked directly for Tiānshǐ. What should we do?" _Shang Xiang sounded extremely worried. Not only that her friend Lu Xun had been captured but the fact that Tiānshǐ was asked for directly made her very concerned. _" Could they have found out that Lu Xun is her husband? Maybe they`re true target is Tiānshǐ herself." _Sun Jian shook his head. _" __I do not think so. They have more than likely heard how skilled a warrior she is and want to test themselves against her." _Before anyone could reply, a messenger burst into the room and spoke in a rather frightened tone. _" My lords, the Nanman army is at our gates and they are demanding to face Lady Tiānshǐ!"_ Sun Jian could not believe what he was hearing so he ran towards the gates immediately. Once he arrived, he stood above the gate and looked out towards his kingdom. There stood what looked like thousands of Nanman soldiers. _" This is not good..."_ He turned to the messenger that alerted him in the palace. _" Bring me Lady Tiānshǐ at once! And find Lord Lu Bu! " _The messenger bowed and ran to find the lord and lady to alert them to what was happening. As Tiānshǐ arrived at the gates of the city and joined Sun Jian on the battlements she was shocked to hear the Nanmans calling for her. _" Why do they want me? Out of all the soldiers in Wu why would they pick a fight with me?" _Shang Xiang looked worried and Sun Jian simply shook his head. _" I do not know Tiānshǐ but i will not send you out there alone. Send for your daughters. Take them with you and find out what these Nanman want."_ Tiānshǐ nodded and went back home to get her daughters. Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì were still sleeping as Tiānshǐ burst into the house. _" Girls! Get up and get your armor and weapons. We have company." _Both girls looked surprised but did what they were told and were soon mounting horses along with Tiānshǐ and they rode out to meet the Nanman army. As they left the city a small group of Nanman generals rode forward to meet them with what seemed to be someone in chains._ "Xun! What are you doing here?"_ Tiānshǐ drew her bow immediately and aimed for the largest target she could see. _" Release my husband at once Nanman or i promise you my arrows will be the very least of your troubles." _ The man grunted and climbed off his mount. _" I am Meng Huo. Leader of the Nanman. This is my wife Zhu Rong. We have come to challenge you to a fight. If you win we will release your husband but if you lose you will be our prisone..." _An arrow had hit his helmet and bounced off. _" My next shot will be lower Meng Huo. Release him now."_ Tiānshǐ had a look of pure rage in her eyes and the Nanman king could see it._ " Even if i release him i still want my fight." _Another arrow bounced off his shoulder this time. _" I will not ask again." _Meng Huo again grunted and turned to his wife. _" Release him. " _Tiānshǐ nodded and motioned to the girls to retrieve Lu Xun. He was heavily wounded. _" Take him to the palace. Make sure the healers do not rest until he is well. " _Zhu Rong climbed off her mount and stepped forward. _" How dare you ignore my husbands request! He wants a fight and you will not deny hi..."_ With the speed she learned from Pang Tong, Tiānshǐ had dropped her bow, drawn her katanas, dismounted and held her blades at Zhu Rong`s throat. _" I have not denied his request. He will have his fight and you will mind your tongue until i tell you to speak or i will remove it." _She then turned to Meng Huo. _" You have harmed my husband and that is something i will not ignore. Prepare yourself." _Meng Huo laughed loudly and prepared his weapons. _" Finally.. A Challenge worthy of the Nanman King!"_ As he again laughed Tiānshǐ spotted a moment in which his guard was down. She struck with the strength of her father and knocked Meng Huo to the ground. _" I am not some child. The next time you let your guard down will be the last time Meng Huo. Stop pretending that you are not afraid and fight like a real man."_ This angered Meng Huo and he charged. Within moments however Tiānshǐ had disarmed him and had her blades positioned to kill. As she was about to deal the last blow, a large spinning object hit her and knocked her back several feet. _" You may have disarmed my husband but my boomerang will end you! " _Zhu Rong threw her boomerang with all her strength but this time Tiānshǐ was ready. She jumped and caught the boomerang before hurling back at Zhu Rong and hitting her square in the chest. _" You cannot defeat me Nanman. No matter how large an army you use. Retreat and you will live." _Meng Huo stood and bowed. _"_ _You may have won today but we will return and we will destroy you!" _He mounted again and rode away, his army following him. With the threat now ended, Tiānshǐ rode with all haste towards the palace.

**Later that night..**

Tiānshǐ had sat beside Lu Xun all day waiting for him to awaken. It was now almost midnight before Lu Xun opened his eyes slowly. _" Tiānshǐ.. have you been __sitting there all day for me?" _ Tiānshǐ hugged him gently. _" Ofcourse i have Xun. When i was sick you didn't leave my side. I will do the same for you when you are sick or injured." _She kissed him lovingly as if they had been apart an eternity and laid beside him holding him carefully as to not cause him pain. _" Thank you my love. I was worried i would not see you again once the Nanman caught me." _Tiānshǐ sat up and looked at him sternly. _" What were you thinking Xun? You should never have gone alone. You know better!" _ Lu Xun touched her cheek gently. _" I know but it was important that i scouted the Nanman forces. I was almost back at the capital when they caught me. I got surrounded and they rained arrows upon me. I didn't think i was going to make it out of that alive. I am glad i did."_ Tiānshǐ again hugged and kissed him lovingly. _" Dont scare me like that...i thought id lost you Xun. Now get some __sleep "_ As Tiānshǐ fell asleep in Lu Xuns arms, she thought to herself that she never wanted to live without him. She wouldnt if given the choice.

**Three days later..**

Lu Xun had been up and walking around unsteadily. He usually had either Tiānshǐ or Shang Xiang supporting him but he was regaining strength quickly. His scars however would never fully heal. He had been beaten within inches of his life and had been cut deeply in several places. _" It is remarkable that he survived such brutality but he will recover in time." _Tiānshǐ was glad to hear this but her hatred towards the Nanman was still severe. After taking Lu Xun home to rest she returned to the palace to speak with Sun Jian. _" I will not let this stand father. They hurt him to the point where he is extremely lucky to be alive. I will destroy them even if i have to do it alone with nothing but a dagger." _ Sun Jian shook his head. _" You will not do it alone. Lu Xun is a son to me as you are a daughter. You will lead the army and the generals of Wu and wipe out the Nanman. Leave none alive. They are too great a threat to spare them. Destroy them all. You and the army will leave in one week. Make sure you are ready." _Tiānshǐ nodded and went home to bathe. As she sat in the bath, Shang Xiang and Xing Cai walked into her garden. _" May we join you? Sun Jian told us what happened. We want to talk to you." _Tiānshǐ nodded as the two women undressed and stepped into the bath. _" We know Sun Jian has ordered you to wipe out the Nanman. We want to ask you not to. We know they hurt Lu Xun but wiping out they`re entire population would not be a good idea. Woman and children did not hurt Xun. Meng Huo did. My scouts followed him and watched what happened. Only Meng Huo and Zhu Rong harmed Lu Xun. Slaughtering innocent people just for that is completely unwise." _Tiānshǐ looked blank for a moment before speaking. _" Your right Shang...i cant kill families for what two people have done...Send a messenger to Meng Huo and Zhu Rong. Tell them i want to resolve this in a fight between myself and the two of them. No armies and no help. A fight to the death."_ Shang nodded and they sat in the bath for a few hours before Xing Cai and Shang Xiang dried themselves,got dressed and went back to the palace to sleep. It was going to be a very long few weeks and they needed all they`re strength. After getting dry and dressed herself, Tiānshǐ sat next to her waterfall and meditated..trying to calm her mind. After an hour or two she decided to go to bed and sleep until tomorrow. She had a lot to do in the coming weeks and she would also need her strength.

**The next morning...  
**

**Tiānshǐ was restless during the night and had not gotten much sleep. She was very tired and in a rather touchy mood. She thought it best to stay home with Lu Xun for some quiet time while the time was available. She wondered if she was ready to give Lu Xun what she denied him so long ago when they first met.  
**

_" Xun i...i want to talk to you." _Lu Xun sat up slowly and looked at her curiously. _" Xun i want a child of our own. I love the girls with all my heart but i want a child with you. I want a family with you. I have thought about it and i...im ready. I want to wait until you are fully recovered though..." _Lu Xun smiled and nodded before hugging her gently. _" Tiānshǐ you have made me the happiest man in all of china. A family with you is the best thing i could ever ask for. But yes i agree that we should wait until i recover..dont want to make these wounds worse do we? "_ He smiled playfully and he kissed her deeply. They laid back and relaxed on the bed until sunset. As the sun was setting, Lu Xun and Tiānshǐ sat in the peach blossom trees in the garden and watched. It was a beautiful sunset and the sky was a light shade of scarlet. As the night got darker they decided to sleep under the stars so Tiānshǐ went inside and got a blanket to keep Lu Xun warm. _" I don't want you getting sick Xun."_ Lu Xun, as much as he hated the idea of a blanket instead of holding his wife, agreed and took the blanket. Tiānshǐ quickly fell asleep next to Xun but he wanted to hold her. He moved next to her and put his arms around her gently before pulling the blanket over them both. _" Sleep well my loving wife. I will watch over you." _He kissed her cheek gently and fell asleep himself. When Lu Xun awoke the next morning however, Tiānshǐ was gone. Lu Xun thought she was probably at the palace studying with Pang Tong so he went back to sleep. Tiānshǐ was indeed at the palace but she was not studying with Pang Tong. She was sparring with her two young daughters. _" You are getting faster girls. Keep up the good work and keep practicing. Ill check back soon..i need to speak with Pang Tong." _She left the two girls in the garden sparring and went looking for Pang Tong.

**There it is Chapter 13. Please Read and Review**


	14. Chapter 14

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 14  
**

** Tiānshǐ had found Pang Tong in the palace library and needed to speak with him urgently.  
**

_" Pang Tong i have something i need to talk to you about" _Tiānshǐ was calm but it was obvious she had something on her mind. _" Of course child. Speak freely." _Tiānshǐ sat beside Pang Tong. _" It`s about the Nanman. I sent a messenger to Zhu Rong and Meng Huo telling them i wanted to resolve this conflict between the three of us to avoid the deaths of innocent people. But i fear Meng Huo will not honour our agreement." _Pang Tong simply smiled and spoke softly. _" You want me to keep an eye on him incase he tries to betray your agreement?"_ Tiānshǐ did not look surprised that Pang Tong knew what she was thinking so she just nodded. _" Very well i will watch him carefully. However i can not fight for you. I am still a servant of Shu." _Tiānshǐ smiled and nodded before walking back to the gardens to continue sparring with her daughters. They were efficient fighters and could easily keep up with Tiānshǐ most of the time. As much as Tiānshǐ wanted to stay and train her daughters, she desperately needed some alone time with Lu Xun. She decided to go home and have lunch before looking for him. As she entered her house however she saw Lu Xun , Shang Xiang and Zhou Yu sitting at the table reading a letter. As Tiānshǐ entered, Shang Xiang spoke loudly with a worried tone in her voice. _" You challenged Meng Huo and Zhu Rong? Even for you Tiānshǐ two against one is an unfair fight." _Tiānshǐ smiled_. _Even thought it was Shang Xiang that had sent the messanger to Meng Huo she had acted surprised to not alarm Lu Xun. " _Not at all...I am rather looking forward to learning how to fight multiple opponents at the same time. It is more a lesson than an actual fight.__ Plus it means i can avoid killing civilians. Destroying an entire population for the crimes of two people is utter nonsense." _They all smiled and agreed with her before discussing what she was going to do for her strategy. _" Well i don't really have a strategy...I sort of want to uhm...make it up as i go." _Everyone looked astonished that she wasn`t going to plan this. She had always planned her battles. _" Don_`_t look at me like that! i need to learn and i only learn the hard __way. " _

**The Next Day...**

**It was time to meet Zhu Rong and Meng Huo. Tiānshǐ was preparing her armor and weapons before her two young daughters entered in tears.  
**

_" You can`t go! We won`t let you go! You could die out there.." _Qǐ Shì lù was so distressed that she had to sit down or she would have fallen down. Tiānshǐ simply smiled and hugged her daughter gently. _" Yes i could die out there but it is a risk i have to take. I cannot allow the Nanman to harm our people." _Before either Qǐ Shì lù or Liè Shì could speak, Tiānshǐ put on her armor and picked up her weapons. _" If something does happen to me take care of Xun for me. He will be heartbroken if anything happens to me." _Tiānshǐ picked up her weapons and left without another word. As she rode towards the main gate she saw Shang Xiang and Sun Ce. As she approached they bowed. _" Take care of yourself sister. Don`t underestmate the Nanman. They will do anything to achieve victory "_ Tiānshǐ smiled and bowed her head to her brother and sister. _" Yes Ce they will. But don`t worry. They lack devotion. I will not fail." _As Shang Xiang burst into tears, Tiānshǐ rode out of the city and towards the Nanman camp.

**Nightfall..**

Tiānshǐ made camp at a river near the Nanman camp. She knew she was being watched, but it was not only the Nanman watching her. Tiānshǐ was unaware that Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì had followed her with a group of Wu`s best soldiers. They kept as far away from the Nanman and Tiānshǐ as they could be but still close enough to charge if something went wrong. They had not noticed Pang Tong already watching Tiānshǐ himself from a tree above her tent. As he noticed the group of Wu warriors close by he decided that he could get some sleep. Surely her own two daughters would not rest until Tiānshǐ was safe. He fell asleep quickly. Liè Shì noticed him quickly as his staff almost fell out of the tree while he slept. Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì stayed close to they`re mothers tent until sunrise.

**Sunrise..**

The sun was bright that morning. _" It is going to be hot today " _Tiānshǐ thought to herself as she got dressed and put on her armor. As she picked up her weapons an arrow with a note on it flew into her tent. As she read the note she felt rather disappointed. _" So Meng Huo is sick. Looks like it's just me and Zhu Rong then..." _She did not really believe this but she knew there were ears everywhere. She knew that a scout would report her reaction to Meng Huo. As she heard footsteps heading towards the Nanman camp she knew she was right. _" Deceive me then. Play your games Meng Huo. I am not impressed. " _She thought to herself as she picked up her weapons once more and stepped into the daylight. There was a small group of Nanman warriors waiting for her. _" We are to escort you to Lady Zhu Rong. We will not allow anyone to enter while you fight her. " _Tiānshǐ nodded and walked with the soldiers to an open area in the middle of the camp. _" Wait here. "_ The soldier walked into a large tent that Tiānshǐ assumed was Meng Huo`s. As Zhu Rong stepped out to meet her she spoke in a tone that was full of disbelief. _" Am i to understand that Meng Huo is unwell? "_ Zhu Rong simply nodded gruffly and took her boomerang off the weapons rack next to the tent. _ " Strange...I would have believed you but to be honest...Meng Huo is a little big to be dressing as a scout. " _Zhu Rongs jaw almost dropped in astonishment. How had she known...she couldnt have spotted him...could she? As Zhu Rong expected another statement all she heard was the flight of an arrow and the sound of it piercing flesh. _" He is as subtle as a wildfire. It was remarkably easy to see him. Even through the horde of your warriors. " _ Zhu Rong quickly ran to her husbands side but it was too late. The arrow had pierced his throat and was tipped with a lethal toxin. Tiānshǐ giggled softly before taunting Zhu Rong to release her now obvious rage. _" One down...One to go. " _Tiānshǐ dropped her bow and quiver on the ground before drawing her blades. _" Shall we make this quick Zhu Rong? Unlike you my husband has need of me. " _As Tiānshǐ moved as if she was leaving Zhu Rong screamed and charged. _ " YOU WILL PAY GIRL! " _Tiānshǐ had been counting on it. Zhu Rongs rage would be her undoing. As she struck at Tiānshǐ in an almost berserker like anger, Tiānshǐ simply smiled and blocked. After a few minutes Zhu Rong had become tired. It was rather hard to fight for long on such a hot day without tiring quickly. Tiānshǐ however was feeling the heat aswell. Her armor was becoming quite hot in the sunlight but she knew it would make it even harder for Zhu Rong to strike her for fear of being burnt. _" Give up Zhu Rong. This will only end with your defeat. " _As Zhu Rong struck again she missed and her bare arm touched Tiānshǐ`s shoulder plate, burning her arm slightly. _" Ow!...What.." _Tiānshǐ smiled before again taunting Zhu Rong. _" You see? You can`t even touch me. Surrender or die. " _Zhu Rong fell to her knees and bowed her head. _" It cannot be... What power is this? I cannot touch you without being burned..." _ Tiānshǐ sheathed her blades and knelt beside Zhu Rong. _ " It isn't power Zhu Rong. The sun has heated my armor." _Tiānshǐ smiled and stood. _" We don`t have to be enemies. I could use your help with defeating Wei Permanently. I killed Cao Cao but his son Cao Pi will be worse. I need your help. " _Zhu Rong looked up and spoke in slight anger. _" Why would i help the woman who killed my husband? You are no better than Cao Pi." _Tiānshǐ smiled once more and spoke gently...with the tone she used when she spoke to Lu Xun. _" Because i have experienced the cruelty of Cao Pi first hand. Come..i will show you. "_ She entered Zhu Rongs tent and took off her armor. As Zhu Rong entered Tiānshǐ lifted the back of her shirt to show the scars from Cao Cao and his sons torture. _" Before i came to Wu i was captured by Wei. I was tortured daily by Cao Cao and his son. That is where i met Lu Xun. He helped me escape and brought me to Wu. I know all too well how to show mercy when it is needed Zhu Rong. " _ Zhu Rong looked amazed as she ran her fingers gently along the scars. _" If you wanted my help why did you taunt me to attack you? " _Tiānshǐ put her shirt back down and turned to Zhu Rong. _" Would you have listened to me while you were angry? " _Zhu Rong shook her head before leaving the tent. Tiānshǐ put her armor back on and followed. As she stepped outside, Zhu Rong handed Tiānshǐ her bow and quiver. _" You will need these if you are to lead us against Wei. We will be waiting in our lands. Send word when you are ready. We will leave your kingdom by nightfall. " _

**The Next Day...**

**True to her word, Zhu Rong and her army had left that night and marched home to the Nanman lands. The lords Of Wu were now speaking of this new alliance while Tiānshǐ was still sleeping.  
**

_" Why did she ask for they`re help? She must think we cannot handle Wei alone." _Zhou Yu spoke loudly as Lu Xun entered the room. _" Do not misjudge her Zhou Yu. She knows we can do it alone but she also knows that it would be very unwise. She asked the Nanman for aid because Shu would never help us. As much as Liu Bei hates Cao Pi he would not side with us against him. He would want the glory of the kill for himself and would betray us. We must trust Tiānshǐ and her judgement of the situation. " _Zhou Yu thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. No one had noticed Tiānshǐ enter. _" Discussing my decision i see. Yes Zhou Yu i do agree we can defeat Wei alone however i do not think it a wise course of action. As Xun said i know it would be inadvisable to ask Shu for aid. That is why i spoke with Zhu Rong. She will help us when we need it the most. We have a battle soon against Wei at Chi Bi. We must have the Nanmans help if we are to kill Cao Pi and end this conflict quickly. " _ All the lords agreed with her but Sun Quan was not convinced. _" How can we trust these barbarians?! How do we know they wont betray us just as quickly as Shu would? "_ Tiānshǐ stood quickly and spoke with force in her voice. _" I trust Zhu Rong. She will not betray me. " _Quan yelled loudly enough that his voice echoed through the war room. _" BUT I DO NOT! WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE SHE WILL NOT BETRA..." _Tiānshǐ had slapped him hard and he fell to the floor. _" I showed her my scars Quan. She saw and felt the pain i endured at Cao Cao and Cao Pi`s hands when she touched them. I trust her. If that is not good enough for you then you are excused from the upcoming battle and from this discussion. " _Sun Quan stood quickly and moved to hit her but Sun Jian seized his sons arm. _" You will not strike your family Quan. Go to your quarters and calm down. "_ After cursing towards Tiānshǐ and throwing a chair out of his way, Sun Quan stormed off to his room. _" Forgive him Tiānshǐ...he has not been himself lately. I will speak with him later. For now however..tell us of your battle plan. "  
_

_**Thats Chapter 14! Please Read and Review.**  
_


	15. Chapter 15

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 15 ( Incase anyone has noticed differences in Qǐ Shì lù`s name at points in my story it is because spellcheck automatically added a space in it. i will correct this when i re check all chapters. the name should have a space in it but i forgot to add it when i was typing. )**

**It was going to be a long day today. Today Pang Tong was teaching Tiānshǐ about fire and the many uses of fire. Pang Tong was trying to explain that fire was not just a weapon but ****Tiānshǐ **was having difficulty understanding how fire was anything but a weapon.  


_" Fire is not just a tool for destruction. It is used for cooking, keeping warm and to keep predators away. However fire can also be used as a distraction, a means of attracting attention and a useful way of diverting enemy forces to a point of overwhelming odds. To use fire to your advantage you must understand fire. Therefore you will first make a campfire. Watch the fire start and burn then you may start to understand. You will also spend tonight keeping warm by fire and using it to battle the cold. Tomorrow come and find me and explain what you have learned." _Pang Tong was wise but he sometimes spoke in ways that Tiānshǐ could not fully comprehend. Tiānshǐ however did as instructed. She used a small axe to cut firewood and two stones to spark the flame. As the fire lit and started burning brightly she watched it creep along the small logs like liquid. It was strange how the fire was seemingly unphased by odd branches and twigs in its path. Tiānshǐ could not understand how the fire seemed to ignite anything it touched but she was determined to find out. She sat for a few hours watching the flame burn before she started to realise that fire..much like water..is adaptible to any object it touches. Like a river moving around rocks in its path, fire burns through everything it touches. As she began to understand how the fire burned she thought of ways to keep herself warm during the night. She gathered large stones and placed them around the fire to heat them and as they heated she dug a small but long hole and placed them inside. Covering them with a few layers of straw, she layed on her new bed to find it was actually rather warm. The heated stones were like a hot blanket underneath her. Before falling asleep that night she lit a fresh campfire and stacked it with logs large enough to burn through the night until dawn.

**The Next Day...**

As Tiānshǐ awoke to the smell of cinders and ash she decided to catch breakfast. She walked to the river where Pang Tong taught her about water and sharpened a stick on some rocks. She used it to spear some fish and took them back to her small campfire. After cooking and eating she heard the sound of a horse approaching. _" Having fun Tiānshǐ?_ _" _Shang Xiang dismounted and sat next to Tiānshǐ. _" Pang Tong asked me to come check on you." _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged Shang Xiang. _" Im fine. In fact it was a rather decent sleep. I haven`t been this relaxed without Xun before." _Shang Xiang smiled. _" Well i see you have al__ready had breakfast so i`ll see you back at the palace. " _After Shang Xiang left, Tiānshǐ sat and watched the fire again. _" It can be used to cook food, keep things warm, heat objects and be used as a weapon. It can also be used to create weapons and tools by heating metal. But there's something I haven`t thought of..." _As Tiānshǐ was about to give up she thought of it as a small cinder landed on a cut on her knees and burned it closed. _" That`s It! It can be used for healing! I should go see Pang Tong."_ After a long walk back to the palace she found Pang Tong in the library studying as usual. _" I understand fire and its many uses_. _It can not only be used as a weapon but it can be used to heal wound, heat objects and keep things warm and dry." _Pang Tong smiled. _" Excellent work. You have an understanding of fire. There is still much you can learn but you have made a good start. Did you enjoy your little trip?" _Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged Pang Tong gently. _" It was very relaxing. I even made a spear out of a sharpened stick and caught some fish for breakfast." _Pang Tong was surprised. _" Ingenuity and resourcefulness is a rare commodity in a warrior. I am pleased with your progress. You have learned much but now you must focus on the upcoming battle." _Tiānshǐ nodded and asked where Lu Xun was. After being told he was in the war room helping think of strategies, he was relieved to see his love arrive. _" Perfect timing...i can`t think of a good strategy.."_ Tiānshǐ smiled and kissed him gently before looking at the map of the battle field. _" Chi Bi? I did`nt know we were fighting at Chi Bi. When was this decided?" _Sun Jian looked surprised. _" Tiānshǐ we have known about this since you started your training with Pang Tong._" Tiānshǐ looked astonished but figured that she probably knew but had forgotten. _" I probably forgot..i have had a lot on my mind these past few weeks. Ok well if we hold the Wei forces on the left and right flanks we can send a small group to set fire to they`re main fleet and destroy these two bridges. Once the bridges are destroyed Pang Tong can use his powers over wind to accelerate the flames and set fire to Cao Pi`s entire fleet. After that we can push the Wei forces back to the main ship and take Cao Pi head on."_ As she spoke the lords all whispered about it but Zhou Yu was first to speak. _" Brilliant. We keep them at bay until they`re fleet burns then charge them and take them down one by one...I like it.__ " _Sun Jian nodded his agreement. _" Very w__ell. Tiānshǐ you will lead the group that will set fire to the f__leet. Be swift. You have three days to prepare for this battle. Choose your group wisely and make sure they understand your plan fully." _Tiānshǐ spent the rest of the day gathering materials she would need for her fire attack.

**Later That Night.**

Pang Tong found Tiānshǐ in the village gathering pots and barrels for her fire attack. _" Barrels for oil and pots for the flame. Clever." _Tiānshǐ smiled but there was a small glint in her eye that told Pang Tong that she was worried. _" What is on your mind my dear? You have been very distracted since the meeting in the war room."_Tiānshǐ looked at him with sad eyes before placing another barrel on her stack of many barrels. _" It`s just...i don`t know who i want with me...i don`t want to endanger anyone. I want to do this alone but i don`t know how to tell my family."_ Pang Tong was about to speak as Sun Jian stepped out of a nearby alleyway. _" You don`t need to. I heard clearly. If this is what you must do Tiānshǐ then you have my blessing but be careful." _Sun Jian turned and left for the palace without another word. Tiānshǐ looked surprised that he had taken her decision so well. _" He trusts you like a daughter aswell as treats you like one. You can do nothing that will disappoint him but as he said be careful." _ Pang Tong left aswell leaving Tiānshǐ to think about the upcoming battle. She decided that she would have oil on the deck of her ship and smash it directly into Cao Pi`s fleet. She figured that the resulting explosion would send flaming barrels flying everywhere. Her theory would be put to the test as she loaded the last barrel and pot onto the last cart and went home. Lu Xun was again sleeping in the palace but this time he would stay in the palace until after the battle. She put on her armor and gathered her weapons. After leaving a note for Lu Xun with the guards she rode towards the Nanman lands.

**The Next Day..**

Lu Xun had been looking for her all morning but she was nowhere to be found. After deciding she was probably hunting and going to the training ground to make sure that the army had enough equipment for the battle he was approached by the guards. _" My lord. Lady Tiānshǐ_ _left this for you._" After taking the note and reading it Lu Xun became very worried. She had written that she would not be back until the day of the battle.

**Meanwhile...**

Tiānshǐ had arrived safely in the Nanman lands and was enjoying lunch with her new friend Zhu Rong. They had talked a lot since her arrival and were becoming close friends. _" Chi Bi? Whats your plan?"_ Tiānshǐ told Zhu Rong about her fire attack and the strategy to fight Cao Pi directly. _" It's very bold Tiānshǐ...__are you sure Cao Pi wont be expecting it?"_ Tiānshǐ giggled softly. _" I am actually counting on the fact that he will. What he will not be expecting is that i will not be fighting him directly. I am aiming for Zhen Ji. I have heard she would like to leave Wei and join a new general." _Zhu Rong looked surprised. _" So you will persuade his own lieutenants to fight against him...very cunning my friend. And are you planning to stay here with me until the battle?" _Tiānshǐ smiled lightly. _" If it is ok with you i will stay here in Nanman until the day of the battle and ride with you to the battlefield. I will need your help with holding back the Wei forces while i deploy my flames." _Zhu Rong smiled and hugged her new friend tenderly, almost like she would hug a sister. _" Of course Tiānshǐ. You are most welcome here. My people enjoy your presence." _That night they had a large feast to celebrate the new alliance between the Nanman and Wu.

** The Battle Of Chi Bi.**

The Wu army had arrived. The men were all very stressed by Tiānshǐ`s absence. No one knew where she was and they had heard nothing. Not even a messenger or letter of any sort. _" Fear not she will be here. She will not let us down. She never has before." _Lu Xun , Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had utmost faith in her but Sun Quan was being a touch hopeful that she would not arrive. _" I told you we could`nt trust the nan.." _Before he could finish however they heard a distant trumpet. The sounds of elephants and soldiers was getting louder and closer. As Sun Quan thought what it could be, Tiānshǐ had appeared through the nearby trees riding her horse, closely followed by Zhu Rong and her lieutenants mounted on heavily armored war elephants. As Sun Quan spotted Tiānshǐ, he noticed her lift a small object that looked like a bone and press it to her lips. Moments later a loud sound erupted from the object and the lord of Wu noticed the Nanman cheer theyre support to Tiānshǐ. Sun Jian guessed that Zhu Rong had gifted her a war horn. The sound of it filled the battlefield as she rode towards the Wu army. The Wu soldiers all cheered happily at her arrival_. _Tiānshǐ dismounted and was followed by the Nanman leaders. _" Allow me to present my new friend Zhu Rong. She will help us hold off the Wei forces while i carry out my fire attack. Treat her with the same respect that you grant me." _The lords all nodded toward they`re new ally as Tiānshǐ ran off to enact her plan. _" Load the barrels! I sail immediately!" _Tiānshǐ left her horse with Lu Xun and helped load her ship with the barrels and fire pots. She was counting on the pots smashing when her ship collided with Cao Pi`s fleet. When the last barrel was loaded and the deck covered in a thin layer of oil, Tiānshǐ set sail for the fleet. She aimed her ship carefully at the largest ship she could see. She guessed it was probably Cao Pi`s flagship and was a good place to start the inferno. As her ship collided with Cao Pi`s, Her plan went off perfectly. The fire pots all smashed from the force of the impact and set fire to the oil on the deck. The resulting explosion sent flaming barrels flying towards the Wei army. Before long Cao Pi`s flagship and many of his men were up in flames. Tiānshǐ was thrown from her ship by the explosion and found herself surrounded by Wei warriors. She drew her blades as she felt a strong wind from the south. She knew Pang Tong had seen the explosion and called the wind to set fire to the fleet. She charged the Wei forces and fought her way through a tide of blue armor until she heard the sound of a flute. As she looked around she was hit with a blast that forced her back several metres. _" Did`nt think i would let you win so easily did you? I have been waiting for a worthy general to serve. If you beat me i will pledge myself to you." _ It was Zhen Ji. Tiānshǐ smiled brightly and lunged forward with her blades. She struck wildly at Zhen Ji to make it look uncoordinated and it worked...in a way. _" Stop toying with me child. I expect to fight you in all your strength! Do not disappoint me." _Zhen Ji struck in fury and Tiānshǐ blocked most of her blows. As Tiānshǐ was knocked to the ground, Zhen Ji broke into a musou. Tiānshǐ reacted with her own Musou and the resulting sounds of they`re weapons clashing could be heard by Sun Jian at the back of the Wu army. After a few minutes of colliding musou, Tiānshǐ managed to disarm Zhen Ji and had her blades at her throat. _" Well done child. My service and loyalty are yours..what are your orders?" _Tiānshǐ sheathed her katana`s and drew her bow. _" Retreat to the Wu Army and tell them i sent you. Tell them that the time is now. Push the enemy back and take Cao Pi`s head!" _Zhen Ji nodded and retreated to the Wu forces. The men led her to the lords and she told them of Tiānshǐ`s message. _" Alright then. All forces attack! Bring Wei to it`s knees!" _Sun Jian , the Wu generals and The Nanman generals led the assault on the Wei forces and managed to push them back to Cao Pi`s position. _" My lord the battle is lost. You must retreat! " _Cao Ren spoke in force to Cao Pi and the Lord of Wei nodded. _" Very well. Hold them here Cao Ren. When you are outnumbered retreat and meet me at Hei Fei " _Cao Ren nodded as Cao Pi fled. As the Wu forces took control of the battlefield and the remaining Wei forces retreated, Zhu Rong noticed that Tiānshǐ was missing. _" Has anyone seen Tiānshǐ?_ " Alarmed that they`re greatest warrior had vanished, the Wu forces searched the battlefield. Tiānshǐ however was nowhere to be found. _" This is not good. Zhu Rong take your Nanman forces and search the area around Chi Bi to the west. My forces will search the east." _Zhu Rong nodded and the armies began the search for they`re lost leader.

**Tiānshǐ had been knocked unconscious during the battle after Zhen Ji left. She was carried to safety by Zhang He. He had taken her to a cave two days travel from Chi Bi. Tiānshǐ awoke 5 days after the battle of Chi Bi to find Zhang He cooking a pot of liquid over a fire.**

_" Ugh...Where are we...Who are you?" _Zhang He smiled and handed her a bowl of stew. _" My name is Zhang He. I heard Zhen Ji joined you after you defeated her and i found you unconscious so i brought you here to let you heal. Eat. You need your strength." _Tiānshǐ looked grateful and ate the stew. It was delicious...almost...better than anything she had eaten before. _" Thank you Zhang He..but why did you save me?" _Zhang He looked out towards the rainy night and spoke with a tone of voice that made Tiānshǐ pity him. _" I have never been happy in Wei...In a battle against Shu the woman i loved was killed...i did not want to stay in Wei and heard rumours that Zhen Ji joined you. I would ask you for the same opportunity." _Tiānshǐ nodded and continued to eat her stew._ " Oh and you have a new friend..don`t react too badly or you might frighten her." _Before Tiānshǐ could ask what he meant, Zhang He pointed beside her and she noticed a large tiger laying next to her sleeping peacefully. _" When i brought you to this cave she would`nt let me near you for the first day or two...she got used to me after i brought her some fresh meat." _Tiānshǐ stared at the enormous animal for a few moments before turning back to Zhang He. _" Does she have a name yet?" _Zhang He shrugged and ate some stew. _" Then i shall name her...Tika. From what you tell me she is particularly fond of me correct?"_ Zhang He nodded and looked back out towards the rainy night sky. _" Maybe she will let me ride her home then. I must get back__ to Wu. Where is my armor and weapons? and my horn?"_ Zhang He pointed to a small bundle of cloth. _" Wrapped them in that to keep them dry. Rest now. We will leave for Wu in the morning my lady."_

**The Next Morning.  
**

After putting fresh bandages on her wounds and burns Tiānshǐ got dressed and fed her new friend. The tiger seemed to like her a rather reasonable amount as it purred softly while she stroked its soft fur. _" We must be going. Wu will be worried about you my lady. It would be best to hurry. No doubt your army is feeling rather demoralized with its fearless leader missing."_ Zhang He smiled playfully and mounted his horse as Tiānshǐ put on her armor and looked at her tiger in a way that said she needed a ride. The tiger bowed its head slightly as Tiānshǐ mounted her and with Zhang He, Rode for Wu with all haste. They arrived at the Wu border just before sunset and could see the capital on the horizon. _" Use your horn my lady. Let them know who is coming."_ Tiānshǐ nodded and with a deep breath blew her horn as loudly as possible. The guards on the gate of the capital heard it loud and clear as it echoed across the kingdom. _" Get the lords at once! Lady Tiānshǐ has returned!" _A messenger ran as fast as possible to the palace and burst into the dining room where everyone was waiting for dinner. _" My lords ... Lady Tiānshǐ is on the horizon. Her war horn can be heard all across the land." _Everyone stood at once and rushed to the gates as Tiānshǐ got closer and closer to home. The closer she got, the more determined she was to get there quickly. She whispered in her tigers ear and the tigers pace quickened dramatically. Zhang He was having difficulty keeping up but managed to stay within a few metres of her. As she reached the gates, Tiānshǐ blew her war horn again. It echoed through the entire village and palace as she burst through the gates atop her tiger. Her family stood in awe as Tiānshǐ`s tiger roared loudly and she dismounted and ran towards Lu Xun. _" I am so sorry Xun..i shouldnt have gone into that battle alone. This is Zhang He. He has sworn to serve me and took care of me while i was unconscious." _Lu Xun nodded thanks to Zhang He and Zhen Ji led him back to the palace as Shang Xiang and Tiānshǐ`s two young daughters hugged her as tears streamed down they`re cheeks. _" We thought you were dead...what happened? Where were you?"_ Tiānshǐ explained that at some point in the battle she had been knocked unconscious and that Zhang He saved her and took her to a cave away from the battlefield. Before they left for the palace, Lu Xun looked into his loves eyes with despair. _" Don`t scare me like that..i thought id lost you!" _ He pulled her close and hugged her for what seemed like hours. _" Xun let her breathe! She only just returned and from the looks of her she has been through a lot. Lets get her some food and then you can hug her to death." _Shang Xiang smiled happily and took Tiānshǐ`s hand as everyone went back to the palace for dinner. Afterwards, Lu Xun led Tiānshǐ out to the gardens and talked to her. After a few moments talking, Tiānshǐ was in tears and Lu Xun sounded angry. _" Why did you go alone?! You should know better Tiānshǐ!" _Tiānshǐ was sitting on the ground in tears as she looked up at Lu Xun. _" Xun I did it so that no one would be hurt in the explosion! I know it wasn`t wise but I did what I thought was right. I am sorry if I scared you but i had to do it alone! I could`nt risk anyone else getting hurt!" _Lu Xun sat down and held her tightly. _" I'm sorry..i was just...i was worried. __I thought you were gone forever...I braced myself for the worst when we found out you had disappeared but that doesn't mean I took it well. I was heartbroken Tiānshǐ..the love of my life had just vanished without a trace and we found your helmet and bow among the dead near where Cao Ren retreated. You can understand why I was so heartbroken. I thought you were dead. We all did." _Tiānshǐ was still crying rather uncontrollably so Lu Xun picked her up and carried her to a room in the palace. They talked for an hour or two before falling asleep.

**There you go Chapter 15! A long one but I had a lot going through my head lol. Please Read and Review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 16**

**Tiānshǐ awoke the next morning with tears still on her cheeks and still feeling...low...lower than she had ever felt before. As she sat up she decided to take a bath before leaving the capital for some time to herself.  
**

As she sat in the cool water listening to the waterfall she loved so much, she thought of what happened during the battle. She could`nt remember what happened after Zhen Ji kept thinking of what might have happened when Shang Xiang entered the garden. _" Hey Tiānshǐ. How are you feeling today?" _Tiānshǐ merely shook her head as Shang undressed and joined her. _" I know your feeling fragile Tiānshǐ but you did nothing wrong. You went into that battle alone to keep the rest of us from harm._ _Xun may not understand that. He does`nt understand self-sacrifice yet. __Give him time. He will understand soon enough." _Tiānshǐ smiled slightly but deep down she felt alone. _" I need some time to myself Shang. I am going to make a camp in the wilds for a few days to clear my head." _Shang smiled as she asked a question that Tiānshǐ both did`nt want to answer nor knew the answer to. _" Where will you camp?" _Tiānshǐ shook her head as she stood and wrapped a towel around herself. _" I don`t know...right now i just want to be lost for a little while." _She walked inside and got dressed before packing some food , water and other supplies. Once packed she strapped everything to her horse's saddle and put on her armor. As she rode out the gates, Lu Xun ran after her. _" Tiānshǐ __come back! "_ Shang placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke gently. _" Xun she needs time to herself. She has a lot on her mind now and no one truly understands. Let her have a few days to herself and she will be back." _Lu Xun was nonetheless worried about his love. She had not spoken to him since the night before and he thought he may have hurt her. He wanted to apologise but now he would have to wait.

**Tiānshǐ rode almost to the border of Shu before making camp for the night. She caught some fish in a small river nearby and made a campfire**

_" What did i do wrong..."_ Tiānshǐ thought to herself as she sat next to the campfire with tears running down her cheeks. She could`nt think of what went wrong. Lu Xun sounded so disappointed in her...As if she had let him down. Maybe she had failed him... But how could she have? She did what she knew was right. She followed her heart as she always had. It had never led her astray before so what was different this time? Tiānshǐ could`nt quite think of it and did`nt really have the chance to as Pang Tong appeared. _ " Being this difficult to find my dear, People might think you would want to be lost. " _Tiānshǐ looked up at him with teary eyes as she spoke shakily. _" Maybe being lost is what i want... But i don`t know why..."_ Pang Tong smiled as he sat next to her. _" We all have moments where we wish to be lost. We think that being lost may make things better. But how would you protect your people and family if you are lost my dear? How would you care for Lu Xun when he needs you most? And most importantly...How would you fulfill your destiny? " _Tiānshǐ looked slightly confused as she started to consider what would happen if she removed herself from the world. If she remained lost forever. As she was about to speak Pang Tong spoke first. _" To stay lost would possibly have benefits. However i ask you this my dear. CAN you remain lost?" _Tiānshǐ almost broke down as a single tear fell onto Pang Tongs staff. _" You are much like Lady Shang. A warrior on the field but a still a lady at heart. Gentle , kind and caring yet fearless , passionate and loyal. You are every bit the warrior that the people describe throughout the land. But you are also a lady of court. Gentle at home but brutal and swift on the battlefield. You may wish to stay lost but without you the course of the future would shift to chaos. Warriors like yourself don`t simply fight to protect they`re lives and loved ones. You fight to protect the very world you live in. To remain lost my dear would benefit no one." _Tiānshǐ thought for a moment before speaking in a slightly...bewildered tone. _" But how can you know of this Pang Tong? You have always told me that the future is ever-changing and unpredictable. How would you know what the future holds without me in it? " _Pang Tong smiled and nudged her gently. _" __Just a guess. How can anyone truly know what will happen tomorrow? __Or the day after? There is a saying that may shed some light on your current situation. There's a thin line between being a hero and being a memory. Quite often my dear , The injuries we do and the injuries we suffer are seldom weighed on the same scales. " _ Pang Tong stood and walked away without another word. Tiānshǐ was left to ponder what it was Pang Tong meant. He always spoke in riddles and sayings. He sounded more like a preacher than a magician. However she had never doubted nor questioned his judgement or counsel. He was always honest with her and told her everything she needed to hear.

**The next morning Tiānshǐ decided to visit Zhu Rong in the Nanman lands. As she arrived however she was greeted by sorry news.**

_" We are glad you have come my lady. Lady Zhu Rong has become ill and was about to send a messenger to Wu for you." _Tiānshǐ hurried to her friends side a Zhu Rong sat up slowly. _" It is good to see you Tiānshǐ. I was worried you were killed at Chi Bi." _Tiānshǐ shook her head and hugged her friend gently. _" If only it was as simple as life and death...life is complicated at the moment. I don`t know what to do Zhu Rong. Xun is mad at me for fighting alone at Chi Bi and few people seem to understand why i did it. I need your advice. " _Zhu Rong coughed slightly as she spoke. _" My dearest friend. I would always give you advice when you do and when you do not need it. However now you are in a certain situation that you and you alone has to solve. My advice to you now would be that nothing is ever what it seems. Your husband may seem angry but at heart he may just be grateful that you are even alive. You must consider what he experienced when you disappeared." _As Zhu Rong leaned back against her pillows and went to sleep , Tiānshǐ stepped outside to ask the guards what could be done to help Zhu Rong get well. _" We would need a few herbs to make her medicine. You can find all the herbs we need in the marshlands to the south. However be careful. Bandits have taken a liking to the area. Here is a list of the herbs we need and a description of what they look like. Good Luck." _Tiānshǐ nodded as she rode towards the marshes.

**Back in Wu , Lu Xun was growing more and more worried with each passing moment. He hoped with all his heart that his love was alright and safe. Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì were trying to comfort him but nothing was working. He would not eat , sleep or train. He was too worried about ****Tiānshǐ**.   
**Eventually Shang Xiang got annoyed with him and decided to bring him to his senses.  
**

_" Xun stop being a fool!Tiānshǐ can handle herself perfectly well without us. She is not a child or some new recruit. She is The Dragon Of Wu. Stop being such a child and get your mind straight. We have troops to train and you are`nt helping. Get yourself straightened out or ill slap you so hard you won`t beable to stand!" _She left him staring towards the horizon before he realised that Shang was right. Tiānshǐ was not a simple fighter. She was the greatest warrior in the Wu army and the most determined warrior he had ever met. She would be fine even she was fragile. He knew it was silly to worry about her so much after only a day away from her so he gathered his swords and followed Shang to the training arena. After hours of sparring with recruits and fellow generals , he decided to spend the night in the palace. As darkness crept upon the land , Lu Xun wondered what Tiānshǐ was doing now...

**Meanwhile...**

Tiānshǐ had found all the herbs needed for Zhu Rong`s medicine but had also attracted some...unfriendly attention. _" Damn these bandits! Can`t they leave me be just long enough to help Zhu Rong.." _The bandits chased her almost all the way to The Nanman Camp before turning back and fleeing. _" Finally.." _Tiānshǐ thought to herself as she arrived in the Nanman camp and gave the herbs to the Nanman healers. _" Thank you Lady Tiānshǐ. With this medicine Lady Zhu Rong should recover within a day or two." _Tiānshǐ decided to stay in Nanman for a week just to be sure. As the sunrise lit up the night sky , Tiānshǐ made a small bed on the ground next to her friend and fell asleep.

Lu Xun sat in the peach blossom trees and watched the sunrise hoping that somewhere his love was doing the same. Somehow he knew that she would be sleeping but was nonetheless certain that he was in her thoughts. He placed a single peach blossom petal in the bath before leaving for training. His two young daughters were already there. _" Are you ok Father? You look distressed " _Lu Xun nodded at the girls. _" i just..."_ He could not finish the sentence but both the girls knew what he was thinking._ " We miss her too. But she will return." _Lu Xun smiled as he began training.

**While waiting for Zhu Rong To get well again ,Tiānshǐ had thought a lot about what Pang Tong told her. In a strange way...it made sense. She knew in her heart that he was right even though she did`nt have a clue what he was talking about sometimes. **

_" For an old man...he is wiser than he looks " _She thought to herself as Zhu Rong sat up. _" How are you feeling Zhu Rong? " _Zhu Rong smiled. _" Much better now that i have been given some medicine. Thank you for gathering the herbs __Tiānshǐ _. _" _She hugged her friend gently and they sat and talked for a few hours. Although _Tiānshǐ _wanted to stay in Nanman until Zhu Rong had recovered , Zhu Rong thought it best for her to return home. _" Lu Xun will be worried about you. You are needed there. I will be fine here and when i am well i will visit you in the capital. "_ _Tiānshǐ _hugged her friend once more before packing her things and riding back to the capital. She arrived at the border as night fell around her. She set up camp and cooked some of the meat the Nanman had given her when she left. After eating and bathing in a small lake nearby , she fell asleep in a small circle of trees next to the lake.

When Tiānshǐ awoke, she had some breakfast and packed her things. She would arrive back at the city before midday. As she set off she thought of what she would say to Lu Xun. He would`nt be happy with her going off on her own again. Maybe he would understand this time..maybe. She would find out soon enough as she felt the wind in her hair and the sunlight on her face. She loved riding like this...felt like freedom..like nothing mattered but the wind. Before she realised how far she had ridden , she was at the city gates and could hear the gates opening slowly. After taking her horse to the stables and giving some meat to her tiger , Tiānshǐ decided to have a bath. Sitting in her bath under the waterfall was always relaxing and helped her clear her mind. While sitting in her bath, the guards had told Lu Xun that she had returned. However they were unaware of where she was. Lu Xun knew the first thing she would do was have a bath so he started there. He did`nt really have to look far however, Tiānshǐ was still relaxing in her bath listening to the waterfall. Lu Xun decided not to disturb her yet and left to continue his training. He would talk to her later.

** Theres Chapter 16! Read And Review Please.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 17**

**After her bath, Tiānshǐ decided to walk to the palace gardens and talk to her daughters. When she arrived however , Shang Xiang was the only one around.**

_" Hey Shang.. "_ Surprised by the sudden voice behind her , Shang almost tackled Tiānshǐ when she hugged her. _" I am so glad your back! We thought you had actually gotten lost out there.." _Tiānshǐ smiled slightly before sitting down. _" I did get lost. I ended up in __the Nanman lands. Good timing though because Zhu Rong fell ill just before i arrived so I stayed there to help her get better. "_ Shang was`nt overly surprised but wished Tiānshǐ had sent word when she arrived at the Nanmans land._ "At least your back now that's all that matters. You have`nt missed much though. Everyone has just been training new recruits or sparring. Even Pang Tong has`nt been very active since you left." _After telling Tiānshǐ where everyone was , they walked to the library to see Pang Tong and Zhou Yu. _" Good to see you unharmed my lady. "_ Pang Tong bowed as Tiānshǐ entered and Zhou Yu nodded curtly. _" Thank you Pang Tong. I just needed some time to myself to think." _Pang Tong smiled before sitting back down to read his book. _" A clouded mind can often unsettle the strongest of warriors. Do not think less of yourself for taking time away to uncloud your mind."_ Tiānshǐ giggled softly and sat down next to him._ " As always my friend...you speak in riddles. "_ They both smiled as Zhou Yu spoke. _" That is nothing. You should have heard him yesterday. He sounded like an insane philosopher " _ Zhou Yu chuckled as Pang Tong sneered at him playfully. Tiānshǐ was trying hard not to laugh as her two daughters burst into the library and tackled her. _ " We missed you so much! We were so worried! "_ Tiānshǐ laughed happily and hugged her daughters. " _I am fine girls i just needed some time to think. "_ They all sat and talked for a few hours before the cook entered and told them dinner was ready.

**After dinner in the palace Tiānshǐ decided to find Lu Xun. It seemed like he was very busy but as the night got darker , Tiānshǐ felt as if he may be avoiding her.**

_" Shang I can't find Xun anywhere. I`ve been looking everywhere and i just can't find him. Have you seen him anywhere?"_ Shang shook her head but suggested that he may have been tired and went to bed early. Tiānshǐ went home and was glad to see that Shang was right. Lu Xun was in bed sleeping so Tiānshǐ went to the kitchen to get meat for her tiger. As she sat with her tiger and watched the stars , Lu Xun sat next to her. _" Tiānshǐ im sorry i was angry with you. I just.." _Before he could continue Tiānshǐ had pulled him into a very tender hug. _" No Xun i am sorry. I know i shouldnt have fought alone and i know it was unwise. I should have listened to you."_ Lu Xun smiled and kissed her gently. _" You did what was right. I am the one who should listen. I was angry that you fought alone but I know that you did it to keep the rest of us safe. I am very proud of you and I love you very much. I was just worried when you disappeared." _Tiānshǐ sat happily for a few minutes before falling asleep in Lu Xun`s arms. Lu Xun carried her inside to bed and fell asleep beside her.

**During the night , Tiānshǐ was awoken by a loud noise outside. When she went out to check what it was , she saw Shang Xiang putting on a hooded cloak. Tiānshǐ decided to follow her as Shang Xiang headed towards the front gates. As they got closer to the gates Tiānshǐ noticed someone waiting.**

_" I did`nt think you would come...I thought maybe the guards spotted you. "_ Guan Ping spoke softly..almost whispering. _" I am surprised they did`nt catch me..I knocked over some barrels in the village. " _After they spoke for a few minutes , Tiānshǐ noticed that Shang Xiang was blushing. Before Tiānshǐ could think of why however , Guan Ping had kissed Shang Xiang and walked away towards the palace. Shang Xiang stood there for a few moments staring at the sky until Tiānshǐ placed a hand on her shoulder. _" I thought i was the only one who could sneak around. "_ Tiānshǐ smiled as Shang looked surprised to see her._ " I..i did`nt hear you approach Tiānshǐ..what are you doing out here? I thought you were sleeping." _Shang Xiang looked curious about why Tiānshǐ was wandering around at night but then thought that Tiānshǐ was more than likely wondering the same about her._ " I wont lie Shang. I followed you after the barrels you knocked over woke me. I wanted to make sure everything was ok. I should`nt have followed you but i wasnt sure what you were doing out this late at night. I noticed why though.."_ Shang Xiang blushed brightly but before she could speak Tiānshǐ placed a finger on her lips. _" You don`t need to explain Shang. I understand what it`s like to be in love. Take good care of him. " _Tiānshǐ hugged her gently before going home and back to bed. Shang Xiang smiled as she returned to the palace and went to bed.

**The next morning everyone went to the palace for breakfast. While eating , Shang Xiang and Guan Ping were having a lot of trouble not staring at each other. Tiānshǐ had noticed but no one else was paying much attention. Tiānshǐ smiled before standing and excusing herself from the table. **

_" I feel like having some tea in the gardens. If anyone would like to join me i would welcome the company. " _Tiānshǐ knew no one was paying attention but knew someone would follow her. As she sat down to have her tea she heard footsteps behind her. _" I thought you might follow me Guan Ping. You want to know why i followed Shang last night don`t you?"_ Guan Ping chuckled for a moment before sitting next to her and pouring a cup of tea. _" Actually no. Shang told me that last night when she got back to the palace. I actually wanted to ask why you have`nt told anyone else yet. It is`nt exactly fair of us to keep a secret from everyone but why have you not spoken of it?" _after sipping her tea happily and sighing contentedly, Tiānshǐ replied. _" Well i understand all to well what it is like to be in love. And I kind of figured out that you want to keep it secret because you are scared of how Sun Jian will take it. " _Guan Ping simply nodded and sipped his tea. _" As your friend I would advise you to tell him_. _The longer you keep it from him the more you risk him being unhappy about it. Sun Jian dislikes secrets. Tell him while he is`nt busy. " _After finishing his tea, Guan Ping took her advice and went back to the palace to tell Sun Jian how he felt for Shang Xiang. Roughly an hour later, Shang Xiang ran into the gardens excitedly. _" You won`t guess what just happened Tiānshǐ! "_ Tiānshǐ giggled before speaking. _" Father gave you __and Guan Ping his blessing?"_ Shang looked shocked before sitting down. _" Maybe you will guess what just happened... "_ Tiānshǐ smiled but did`nt look surprised. _" It was`nt a guess Shang. I knew father would give you his blessing. I told Guan Ping it was best not to keep secrets from him. " _Shang Xiang hugged Tiānshǐ gently. _" Thank you. Guan Ping was very nervous about telling father that he loves me. I am glad he listened to you." _They sat and talked for a while before everyone came to join them. Everyone sat in they`re normal places except for Guan Ping. He sat behind Shang Xiang holding her lovingly. They all sat in the garden talking until late afternoon.

**The Next Day...  
**

Tiānshǐ awoke to the usual sound of swords clashing and villagers talking. She loved her home but often she wondered if the world was bigger than the three kingdoms. Surely there was more. She put aside her thoughts as she put on her armor and strapped her katana`s to her belt and walking to the arena to help train recruits. As she approached the arena she saw a man that she had never seen before. She did not know who he was until she heard the light jingling of the bells on his belt. _" So this is the infamous pirate Gan Ning. A pleasure to meet you. I __am..." _Gan Ning drew his sword and held it at Tiānshǐ`s throat as every guard and recruit in the arena or nearby it drew they`re blades. Tiānshǐ simply smiled and shook her head as everyone put they`re swords away except for Gan Ning. _" The Dragon Of Wu. Yes i know who you are. You don`t look like much for the girl who killed Cao Cao. "_ Tiānshǐ placed a hand on the sword at her throat before pushing it aside. _" I suppose then you know that i was aware you were following me when I rode for the Nanman lands. " _Gan Ning looked astonished. He had not been within a hundred feet of her while he was tracking her. There was no way she could have known. _" How did.."_ Tiānshǐ smiled. _" How did i know? Even when i am not wat__ching you cannot avoid my detection Gan Ning. I knew you were following me since i left Wu. Cao Pi has a very high bounty on my head and im certain you would love to collect it. "_ Gan Ning sheathed his sword and looked at her. _" Hmmph. How you killed Cao Cao is beyond me but i suppose you are`nt as scrawny as you loo.."_ Before he could finish speaking , Tiānshǐ had taken his sword and held it at his throat. _" Appearances can be deceiving. Cao Cao once thought as you do...Until my arrow pierced his heart. Do not make the same mistake Gan Ning. Now why are you here? " _Gan Ning took his sword back and sat on a barrel next to the arena. _" I am here to join Wu. Pirating is my life but i can`t pirate anything while Wei patrols every sea in china. With Wei gone i will be able to sail across the seven seas with no interruption. " _Tiānshǐ smiled and threw an apple to him. _" Then i would suggest that you do not mistake a girl for a weakling. Even a child can fight for what they believe in. "_ Tiānshǐ turned and walked towards the palace to study with Pang Tong for the remainder of the day.


	18. Chapter 18

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 18**

_" My dear there is no more that i can teach you. I admire your enthusiasm but you know everything that I am permitted to teach you. " _Pang Tong was almost upset about denying Tiānshǐ more instruction but could do nothing to change his orders. _" Then teach me what you are`nt permitted! There has to be something that you can teach me..." _ Pang Tong fell silent and thought for a moment. _" Well you already know more than i do about poisons and medicines and i have tought you everything i know about the elements aswell...Hmm...well i could teach you about black powder. " _Tiānshǐ looked stunned and confused for a moment. _" What the hell is black powder? And what does it do? "_ Pang Tong chuckled lightly before standing. _" I will show you. Follow me. " _Pang Tong and Tiānshǐ walked out of the palace and toward the arena as Pang Tong explained black powder. _" Black powder is a mixture of different and highly explosive compounds. Much like the powder used in cannons but a touch more...volatile. It can be rolled into small balls and thrown as bombs or spread across an area and lit for a chain explosion. Very useful tool for a warrior of your caliber. " _Tiānshǐ was still very confused but tried to understand. _" Ok so if i understood all that correctly it is a fine powder that explodes in various ways and different sizes of explosions? "_ Pang Tong simply nodded as they arrived at the arena before taking a small pouch out of his pocket. _" First i will teach you how to use it. Then i will show you how to make it. To start i will show you a powder bomb. You put a handful of black powder into a cloth and tie the top with string. Next you put a small piece of string or some other type of cloth for a fuse. Light the fuse and throw. Simp..." _Before he could finish the powder bomb he was holding exploded. Luckily it was a very small amount so it merely sent a cloud of black smoke everywhere. Tiānshǐ laughed before speaking in a...teasing..kind of tone. _" So do you throw it before or after it explodes Pang Tong? " _Tiānshǐ giggled softly as Pang Tong glared at her. _" Before. However i was distracted. "_ Tiānshǐ shook her head before putting together her own small powder bomb , lighting the fuse and throwing it at a nearby archery target. The small but neatly packed bomb exploded and set fire to the target. _" Well done Tiānshǐ._ _But using the black powder effectively and knowing how to produce it are far different in both method and difficulty. Come to the library after lunch and i will show you how to make black powder. "_

**Later That Day...**

After a long lunch in which Tiānshǐ told everyone that she was learning the use and production of explosive powder , she returned to the library as instructed to learn the creation of black powder. _ " To make black powder you need to mix a few different compounds together. You will need to mix Sulphur , Charcoal and Niter. To produce black powder_ _effectively and properly each ingredient must be added at a certain measure and must be a very fine powder. The more you add the bigger the explosion. To make black powder you can use one of two methods. Grind each ingredient into powder separately and then mix them or you can grind them all together using a mill. Either way has advantages and disadvantages but make sure you do it properly. If it is incorrect the resulting explosion could destroy a small village." _Tiānshǐ smiled just a bit mischievously before nodding and grinding the small amounts of ingredients Pang Tong gave her. _" These ingredients __ are`nt the most common substances around but are`nt impossible to obtain either. " _ Pang Tong handed Tiānshǐ a small book of alchemy ingredients and mixtures. _" This will help but do not become dependant on it. If you can learn to identify which component belongs to each mixture it will save yu countless hours of labour. Now i must rest. I return to Shu tomorrow. "_ Tiānshǐ was sad that Pang Tong had to leave but understood and hugged her friend before picking up her book and going home.

**The Next Day...**

Tiānshǐ awoke very early so she could say goodbye to Pang Tong. _" You are always welcome here Pang Tong. You will visit me again won`t you? " _Pang Tong smiled and hugged Tiānshǐ gently. _" Ofcourse i will my dear. I suspect we will meet again very soon " _Pang Tong said goodbye to everyone at the gates before riding toward the Shu capital. Tiānshǐ was rather upset that her friend was leaving so she decided to go home and rest for a while. After sleeping for most of the day, Tiānshǐ awoke to the sound of voices in her dining room. As she walked in she saw Zhu Rong , Zhen Ji and Zhang He sitting at the table sipping some tea. _" Zhu Rong! It's so good to see you! How do you feel? "_Zhu Rong hugged Tiānshǐ tenderly before sitting down again. _" Much better thanks to you. The medicine that my healers made from the herbs you gathered was most helpful. Thank you again Tiānshǐ. " _Tiānshǐ smiled as she sat down with a small cup of tea. _" It was my pleasure Zhu Rong. I could not have just left you there suffering from illness. " _After a few hours of tea and talking , They all walked to the palace for dinner. Sun Jian was most pleased to see Zhu Rong. _" I understand you allowed my daughter to stay in your lands during her small disappearance. I am most grateful. "_ Zhu Rong smiled and looked at Tiānshǐ. _" Lady Tiānshǐ is always welcome in my lands. My people were most relieved that she arrived. I was not well. She gathered herbs to make my medicine and stay long enough to ensure that it was made properly before leaving. __I owe her my life." _As the night got darker Zhu Rong was about to leave for the Nanman Lands before Tiānshǐ spoke. _" There is a spare room here in the palace. Stay tonight and ride home tomorrow. It isn't safe to travel at night. " _Zhu Rong nodded. _" I fear i may have been followed by bandits and they seem to be waiting for me at the border. "_ Tiānshǐ looked at Sun Jian with small glint of hope in her eyes. _" And Wu will not allow them to harm you Lady Zhu Rong. Tiānshǐ you will take two of your personal guards and clear the road to Nanman before Zhu Rong leaves tomorrow morning. " _Tiānshǐ nodded happily and said goodnight to everyone before walking home and sleeping for the night.

**Very Early That Morning...**

Tiānshǐ put her armor on and strapped her swords to her saddle and her bow to her back. As she was leaving , Zhang He , Zhen Ji , Lu Bu , Diao Chan , Pang De , Guan Ping and Xing Cai arrived. _" Sun Jian only asked me to take two guards. What are you all doing here? " _Lu Bu spoke first. _" Sun Jian may have said to only take two guards but we are not willing to lose you again._ _We all go or none of us go. Including you my daughter. " _Tiānshǐ motioned to speak but Xing Cai cut her off. _" Don`t even think of arguing. We are going with you whether you like it or not. Now get on your horse and let's get that road clear. " _Tiānshǐ simply smiled and climbed onto her horse. As they rode out of the gates Tiānshǐ noticed Zhu Rong watching from above the gate and she looked very worried.

** As they arrived at the bandits camp they found more awaiting them than they were expecting. As they approached a small army seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them. Before anyone could draw they`re swords the bandits leader approached and spoke loudly.**

_" We do not wish to fight. We have no quarrel with Wu but Zhu Rong should not have survived that illness. It was not easy poisoning her personal water supply nor keeping her village surrounded. We will also deal with the person responsible for breaking our blockade. " _Tiānshǐ giggled softly before taking her helmet off and looking into the bandit leaders eyes. _" Here is your chance. I broke your blockade and I gathered the herbs for Zhu Rongs medicine. And if i have my way...I will end your existence here and now! " _Before the bandits could react , Tiānshǐ had thrown several small pouches into the air around her small group but behind the bandits lines. As they all drew they`re weapons , the pouches exploded and sent flames pouring through the bandit lines. _" An effective test. I like this powder! " _Tiānshǐ thought to herself before charging. After roughly two hours of battle they had successfully eradicated the bandit forces. _" Let`s not do that again. " _Xing Cai was exhausted and had been wounded slightly in several places. _" Can we go home now? I could use some medicine myself now..." _Tiānshǐ smiled and they mounted they`re horses and rode back to the city. As they arrived Sun Jian was waiting for them. _" Well done. I am slightly surprised that when I said two guards it was taken as two dozen but well done nonetheless. Xing Cai i am sure the healers will want to check your wounds. As for everyone else go and get some rest. You have all earned it. "_ As Xing Cai walked to the healers room at the palace with Guan Ping supporting her , everyone else sat in the arena sharpening they`re weapons or polishing they`re armor. No one really felt like resting and were all still fairly stunned by the effectiveness of Tiānshǐ`s powder bombs. _" I wonder..."_ Lu Bu spoke aloud without realising. _" Wonder what father? " _Tiānshǐ was curious now as to what Lu Bu was thinking. _" Thinking out loud but i wonder what effect that powder would have if we fired it out of a catapult..." _Tiānshǐ smiled before standing and heading home. _" Don`t give me ideas father..i am quite mischievous enough already. "_ As the others all laughed , Tiānshǐ went home to bed and slept for the rest of the day.

**Thats it Chapter 18! Please keep in mind that i am aware of the histories concerning black powder but my story is a FANTASY for a reason. Please remember that when reading and reviewing. Thanks! ^_^**


	19. Chapter 19

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 19**

**Early the next morning the entire village was awoken by the sound of loud explosions...**

_" What in the hell is that noise? " _Shang Xiang sounded very unhappy. _" I think i know what it is...follow me. " _Lu Bu walked swiftly to the front gate of the city as they heard another group of explosions. When they stepped outside the gate however they got a slight surprise. Tiānshǐ was loading slightly larger versions of her powder bombs into a catapult. As she turned towards the gate Lu Bu spoke loudly. _" Perhaps you were right about being mischievous my young daughter. What tricks have you thought of this time? "_ Tiānshǐ giggled slightly before answering playfully. _" Well i made my powder bombs bigger. Big enough to be launched by a catapult. I also added a slight...difference. "_ As everyone looked at the bombs in the catapult they noticed that the bags were covered in small but sharp pieces of metal. _" Metal shards...You attatched metal shards to your bombs? Why? "_ Tiānshǐ unloaded the catapult and with some help from a few guards, put the catapult back inside the city. _" Well i thought about my usual bombs and the amount of flames they make. Then i thought how easy it is to cut down soldiers with a blade. I decided to combine the two and came up with this. When the bomb explodes it sends shards of steel in almost every direction. Which...i hope...will annihilate entire infantry battalions. This could save days when we use siege tactics. " _Lu Bu chuckled gruffly before going home. As he left, Shang Xiang spoke up. _" Well you have had another stroke of genius Tiānshǐ...can we go to bed now please? "_ Tiānshǐ smiled and nodded before going home and to bed. As everyone slept, Lu Bu and Diao Chan were discussing this new weapon. _" Dont look at me like that Lu Bu! She gets it from your side of the family!. " _Lu Bu laughed loudly and responded in a rather teasing tone. _" Ofcourse she does! We are Warriors! It is in her blood to be an efficient killer and that is exactly what she is. You cant help but admire her passion."_ Diao Chan smiled and kissed Lu Bu tenderly. _" Indeed. She is certainly our daughter tried and true. Now let's go to bed. You have to help train the soldiers tomorrow. "_ Lu Bu nodded and they went to bed.

**Later that day Lu Bu was training the soldiers and Tiānshǐ`s two young daughters were sparring in the courtyard. As they sparred, an arrow with very familiar crimson feathers flew between them and hit a barrel on the far side of the courtyard. As they turned, Tiānshǐ threw a bow to each of them.**

_" Combat comes in many forms girls. Swords is one. There is also Archery, Spear, Axe, Sword and Shield, Daggers and many more. Being effective at many types of combat is useful especially if you lose one weapon. I never leave the city without my swords , bow and daggers. One weapon is good. But a variety of weapons will keep your opponent off-balance. Archery is an effective tool and a bow should be kept with you. However the choice of extra weapons is yours. Go to the armoury and choose two other weapons that you want to master. "_ Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì both ran to the armoury excitedly and picked two weapons to learn aswell as the Bow. Liè Shì picked a long spear and a set of chakram. Qǐ Shì lù chose twin whips and a halberd. As they arrived back at the courtyard, there were several of Tiānshǐ`s bodyguards waiting. _" Excellent choices girls. Weapons that are versatile and adaptable. Qǐ Shì lù you will be training with Lu Bu to learn the halberd. Liè Shì you will train with Shang Xiang to learn the chakram. Learn well and listen carefully to your teachers. When you have mastered your weapon we will test your abilities. Good Luck. "_ Both girls smiled excitedly and ran off to seek they`re teachers. Qǐ Shì lù was very nervous and a bit scared when she arrived in the fields outside the city and saw Lu Bu sparring with one of the soldiers. _" Move faster but don't forget to mind your surroundings. One false move and you will pay severely for it! Keep your mind focused and never turn your back on the enem...Ah we have a new arrival. Step forward Qǐ Shì lù. " _Qǐ Shì lù nodded and stepped forward slowly with her eyes fixed upon Lu Bu. _" Scared are we? Good. I will not show you the mercy that your mother does. If you truly wish to train with me then you will listen carefully and follow my every instruction. I do not show mercy and i do not surrender. Neither will you. Well then.. I see you want to learn the halberd. Pay close attention and stay focused. " _As Qǐ Shì lù began her training, Liè Shì arrived at the arena where Shang Xiang was training with Lu Xun. Liè Shì was amazed by the grace that Shang Xiang was able to move with. Each movement was like a flowing river. Before she could watch for too long, Shang Xiang and Lu Xun had noticed her and called her into the arena. _" You want to learn the chakram? Ofcourse ill teach you! Tiānshǐ must think you are ready to lose your training blades. Lets begin then!"_ As they started training Lu Xun excused himself and walked off to find Tiānshǐ. He found her in the courtyard firing arrows at a barrel. As Tiānshǐ was about to loose another arrow, one of Lu Xuns blades landed between her feet. _" Shall we spar my dear wife? " _Tiānshǐ smiled and kicked the sword back to Lu Xun before dropping her bow , drawing her swords and lunging towards him. _" Well my husband...can you keep up this time? " _Tiānshǐ smiled teasingly as they continued to spar. After a few hours...and a few small cuts... they decided to rest. Tiānshǐ was wrapping a small bandage around Lu Xuns arm as Xing Cai arrived. _" Dropped your guard again Xun? You should know better "_ Xing Cai giggled softly and sat beside them. _" Can i help? I've been studying medicine lately and think ive figured out how to wrap bandages. Is it okay if i try it out?" _Tiānshǐ looked at Lu Xun and he nodded so Tiānshǐ handed Xing Cai a bandage and Lu Xun lifted his arm so Xing Cai could wrap his cuts. After a few short moments, Xing Cai had wrapped his cuts and tied them tightly. _" That shouldnt come undone in a hurry Lu Xun but don't overwork it. Just to be safe. "_ She smiled and leant back against a nearby crate. While they were relaxing and talking about the girls choice of new weapons, Tiānshǐ`s personal cook brought them a picnic lunch and a large pot of tea. They thanked her and Tiānshǐ told her that she could have the day to herself if she wanted. As the cook walked home, a guard from the wall called out to Tiānshǐ. _" Lady Tiānshǐ! Qǐ Shì lù is sparring with Lord Lu Bu! "_ Everyone stood at once and rushed to the top of wall to watch. They had a very clear view of the training field and saw that Qǐ Shì lù was indeed sparring Lu Bu...and winning. As they watched, they saw Qǐ Shì lù use a style that mirrored her mother. Tiānshǐ smiled and as she was going to say something to Lu Xun, Qǐ Shì lù had managed to disarm Lu Bu and knock him to the ground. Lu Xun , Xing Cai and Tiānshǐ were speechless. _" It would seem that she has watched you more closely than you thought my dear. " _Tiānshǐ nodded to Lu Xun before asking him to go check on her. Lu Xun nodded and walked back down the staircase to the gates. Tiānshǐ then asked Xing Cai to check on Liè Shì. Xing Cai ran off to the arena and Tiānshǐ was left standing on the wall wondering if she had trained her daughters a little too well. She thought about this a lot as she walked to the arena. She tried to stay out of sight so Liè Shì wouldn't get nervous and as she watched she noticed that Liè Shì mirrored her fighting style aswell. _" Perhaps they do watch me far more closely than i thought.." _ walked back to the courtyard and as she sat down, both Lu Xun and Xing Cai arrived and sat with her. _" Theyre amazing! You tought them very well Tiānshǐ. They are almost exactly like you! " _Tiānshǐ smiled and leant against Lu Xun gently. After a few hours, two guards approached quickly. _" Forgive us Lady Tiānshǐ but we have been asked to tell you that your daughters have already completed they`re training and mastered the new weapons. They are returning from the training grounds and require a test. "_ Tiānshǐ nodded and turned to Lu Xun. _" Keep them busy. I need my armor. "_

**Lu Xun did as Tiānshǐ asked and kept the two young girls distracted. He talked to them about being effective in battle and the values of Honour, Respect and Dignity. As he finished talking, a small kunai landed on the other side of the courtyard and Tiānshi dropped from the rooftop above. **

_" It is time for your test girls. Meet me in the fields at once! " _Before the two girls could say a word, Tiānshǐ had started running towards the fields. When the girls and the entire group of Tiānshǐ`s family and friends arrived they saw a stack of small boxes on a pedestal and Tiānshǐ kneeling next to it. _" Are you prepared girls? I will spare none of my techniques this time! " _Tiānshǐ drew her blades and the girls prepared for the battle. It was not going to be easy in any way. They had watched Tiānshǐ closely but they had not mastered her style completely. Much of Tiānshǐ`s style was unknown to them. As the battle began, Tiānshǐ was almost too fast for the girls to keep track of. She used a combination of strikes and a combination of her three weapons. After many near misses and flying arrows, Qǐ Shì lù struck Tiānshǐ`s leg and knocked her to the ground. Tiānshǐ managed to roll out of the way as the large halberd hit the ground but it did nothing to help the large cut she now had on her thigh. As she stood she almost fell from the pain. Tiānshǐ quickly dodged a flying chakram before wrapping a small cloth around her thigh and drawing her blades again. She turned just fast enough to block the halberd and roll to the side. Her daughters were quickly becoming more lethal with every passing moment. Tiānshǐ decided to use Pang Tongs teachings and swung her leg in a way that made a cloud of dust rise. When the dust settled, Tiānshǐ had vanished. While her two daughters looked around in amazement, two arrows flew from the nearby long grass and hit the girl's shoulder plates. As they spun around to see where it came from, Tiānshǐ rolled out of the grass and knocked the girls legs out from under them. While the girls recovered and stood up, Tiānshǐ had rolled back into the grass and had two more arrows aimed and ready. She loosed the arrows and they knocked the girls armguards off. Before she fired another two arrows to knock theyre weapons away, Tiānshǐ noticed that the girls were starting to look scared. Tiānshǐ felt a bit sad for a moment but then re-focused. She knew this was necessary. She hated fighting her family but it had to be done for her daughters to earn the new weapons. After knocking the weapons out of her daughters hands, Tiānshǐ lunged from the grass and pinned Liè Shì with her knee. _" Well done Liè Shì. Now where is... " _Before she could look, Qǐ Shì lù had hit Tiānshǐ with the handle of her halberd sent Tiānshǐ sliding across the ground. As she went to stand, Qǐ Shì lù pushed her down with her foot and had the halberds tip against the back of Tiānshǐ`s neck. In an exhausted tone of voice and almost a whisper, Qǐ Shì lù said the one word that sealed the girls victory. _" Kill.." _ After releasing her mother however, Qǐ Shì lù fell to her knees from exhaustion. As Tiānshǐ moved over to her daughter to hug her, Sun Jian stepped forward. _" Well done girls. You have more than earned your new weapons. I hereby grant you both the title of commander and you will each be given a small squad of soldiers to command. Soon we will test your leadership in combat. Get some rest. "_ As Sun Jian walked away, The rest of the group that was watching, including a few guards and villagers, stepped forward to help the three fighters to stand and congratulated Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì on theyre victory. When everyone had congratulated the girls and they had some water, Tiānshǐ hugged her daughters gently but tenderly. _" I am so proud of both of you. You fought extremely well today. Go home and get some sleep you have a long week ahead of you. " _ The girls both nodded and walked home as the group began talking of the combat prowess of Wu`s two new commanders.

**Thats it Chapter 19! As always please Read and Review ^_^**


	20. Chapter 20

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 20**

**Very early the next morning the two young commanders Qǐ Shì lù and Liè Shì were given a scouting party of soldiers and sent on a scouting mission to the Wei borders. Before leaving they were greeted at the front gate by they`re mother Tiānshǐ.**

_" Be careful out there girls. Wei are not children. They will kill you if they get the chance. Do not give them that chance. Always keep your eyes open and stay alert. Good Luck. "  
_Tiānshǐ hugged them both lovingly before they rode towards the sunrise. As much as she trusted them and as much as she knew they were skillful fighters, Tiānshǐ was worried. They had not seen many battles outside the training arena. _" Be safe my daughters. " _As she turned to walk back to the gardens, she heard a familiar voice echo from above her. As she looked up, Pang Tong dropped from the gate and landed in front of her. _" Sneaking up on you isn't easy. I noticed the handiwork of your new weapon aswell. Rather impressive. "_ Tiānshǐ smiled and hugged her dear friend. _" Pang Tong..its good to see you. But also curious as to why you are here "_ Pang Tong chuckled for a moment before speaking. _" And i thought i was the only one that spoke in riddles. I am here with both good and bad news. Let us speak with Sun Jian. He will want to hear this. _"

_" **What?!**_** " **Sun Jian sounded furious as Pang Tong told his story. _" __I know this sounds far-fetched Lord Sun Jian but it is the truth. Shu has heard of your new commanders and plans to capture them. The Shu army rides to intercept them in three days. I have been exiled from Shu because i protested against Liu Bei`s decision. "_ Sun Jian thought for a moment before speaking. _" Lady Tiānshǐ. Take tw_o _regiments of soldiers and intercept the commanders before Shu arrives. Bring them home safely but do not engage the Shu army unless you absolutely have to. Take as many generals as you believe necessary and bring your daughters home safely. "_ Tiānshǐ stepped forward. _" I request the presence of Pang Tong. I will need h__is strategic knowledge of Shu in this mission to avoid incident. " _Sun Jian simply nodded before Tiānshǐ and Pang Tong ran out of the palace and directly to the barracks. As Tiānshǐ burst into the barracks, every soldier stopped what they were doing and all eyes were on her. _ " I need two regiments to march with me against Shu. They plan to intercept and capture our new commanders. Who will volunteer? "_ Within an hour, half of the Wu army was armed, armoured and ready to march. As Tiānshǐ rode to the head of the forces with her generals in tow, Every soldier held a sword high and cheered. _ "Forward men! We shall bring our commanders home and kill any Shu soldier who tries to stop us! " _The sound of the Wu force marching was like rolling thunder. As they marched Tiānshǐ blew her war horn loud for the capital of Wu to hear.

As they arrived at the Wu border they noticed smoke on the horizon. Tiānshǐ told the soldiers to stay and make camp as she rode ahead with her generals. As they got closer, Diao Chan suddenly shouted to stop. _" WAIT!...I know who has been here. Xiahou Dun always burns any village he attacks. This is a sure sign of his presence. "_ Tiānshǐ asked them to wait while she scouted ahead. Sure enough, as she approached the village she saw Xiahou Dun , Cao Ren , Xu Zhu and Zhang Liao. As she watched she heard Zhang Liao talking. _" What should we do with those Wu girls we captured? I have heard rumours that they are the daughters of Lady Tiānshǐ herself. They may fetch a fine price from Lord Cao Pi. " _Xiahou Dun grunted. _" We wait. Cao Pi does not yet deserve our loyalty. He is not like his father. He is foolish and ignorant. We will wait." _Tiānshǐ had heard enough. She returned to the generals and told them what she had heard. _" Disloyalty amongst Wei generals? Odd...still they have captured our commanders and must be punished. We Fight! " _Lu Bu picked up his halberd and started walking towards the village. _" Father Wait! I have an idea. The village is burning. I will march straight through the front and get they're attention. The rest of you split up and attack from all sides. We will divide them and annihilate theyre forces. Move Out." _

As Tiānshǐ walked slowly towards the village a wall of flame was ahead of her. _" Good. This will sow fear into theyre hearts. " _As she stepped through the flame she heard Xiahou Dun Shout aloud. _" The Dragon Of Wu! Lady Tiānshǐ herself has come against us! Fight men! Fight to the death! "_ Tiānshǐ smiled as she thought to herself. _" That shouldnt be too hard. " _She drew her katanas slowly as warcries echoed from every direction. The Wu generals lunged from behind burnt buildings, bushes and other hiding places as the Wei forces looked around wildly and confused. Tiānshǐ blew her war horn again loudly as the Wu generals charged. Sounds of swords clashing and shields shattering echoed into the sky. After about an hour of battle, the Wei generals had surrendered and they're small army was destroyed. Tiānshǐ approached Xiahou Dun directly and hit him across the face hard enough to knock him to the ground. _" Where are my daughters Xiahou Dun?" _Xiahou Dun laughed. _" I would rather die then tell you anythi..." _A slight gurgling sound came next as blood gushed from his throat and he fell to the ground. _ " Wish granted. Now then..." _Tiānshǐ approached Zhang Liao next. _" Where are my daughters? "_ Zhang Liao pointed to a small caravan that was riding towards the Wei territory escorted by a group of soldiers on horseback. _" After them! Do not let them escape! " _As Tiānshǐ and Lu Bu mounted horses, Zhang He spoke up. _" What about survivors? Should we let the generals go? " _ Tiānshǐ turned to Zhang Liao and looked at him with pity in her eyes. _" Set them free. They are no threat to us now. "_ She rode swiftly after the caravan as the other Wu generals mounted horses and followed. As they rode away, Zhang Liao looked towards Tiānshǐ and at the banner flying high behind her. _" A worthy leader. I would serve one such as her. " _He mounted a horse and rode towards Wu. Meanwhile Tiānshǐ was getting closer to the caravan and had been firing arrows at the escort. One by One the soldiers fell from theyre horses and hit the ground hard. After a few moments, the caravan had been surrounded and the guards captured.

Tiānshǐ ran to the caravan and looked inside. Liè Shì was laying on the floor with her hands tied and looking as if she had received a harsh beating. Tiānshǐ lifted her up carefully as Liè Shì looked up at her. _" Mother?...I..im sorry..we failed.." _Tiānshǐ hugged her gently and kissed her forehead. _" You have not failed anything. But where is your sister? " _Liè Shì began to cry. _" They took her to Cao Pi. They said she would make a grand prize for him and that she would be his entertainment. We have to save her! "_ Tiānshǐ lifted her gently and carried her to the generals. _" Protect her. I should be back in a few days. "_ Lu Xun stepped forward. _" And where are you going? "_ Tiānshǐ kissed him gently before mounting her horse. _ To Wei. They have taken Qǐ Shì lù to Cao Pi to be entertainment or worse. I will rescue her. " _Before Lu Xun could stop her or anyone could tell her no, Tiānshǐ rode towards Wei. There was no way the generals could bring her back. They mounted and rode back to the capital of Wu.

**The Next Day...**

**The group of generals had arrived at the capital and told Sun Jian what happened. As the healers took Liè Shì to a room to heal her wounds, Sun Jian addressed the entire village to announce war.  
**

_" Wei has captured one of our commanders and taken her to the capital. This is an act of war. An act that we will answer. For too long Wei has been a thorn in our side. No longer. Assemble the army! We ride for Wei immediately. We ride to WAR!_ " Before anyone could move however, Lu Xun stepped forward. _" STOP! Lady Tiānshǐ has gone to the capital to rescue her daughter. If the Wu army arrives at the capital, Cao Pi will become aware of her presence and execute her daughter. We must not ride to war. We need to give Tiānshǐ time to save her daughter without attracting too much attention. If she hasn't sent word to us in a week then we march. But please give her time to do this alone." _Sun Jian thought for a moment before summoning a messenger. _" Send word to Lady Zhu Rong in the nanman lands. Tell her that Lady Tiānshǐ`s daughter was captured by Wei and Tiānshǐ is pursuing them. Tell her that if they spot Tiānshǐ or her daughter they should alert us immediately but tell her not to engage Wei. "_ The messenger nodded and left immediately. As he left, Sun Jian turned to Lu Xun. _" Send another messenger to Shu. Tell them what has happened and that Wu declares peace until this incident is resolved. Go. " _Sun Jian looked towards the sky with worry in his eyes. _" Be safe daughter and fight well. "_

**One week later...**

Tiānshǐ had been unseen all week. No word or messenger had arrived and no one knew where she was. Shu had agreed to the peace and the nanman were searching for Tiānshǐ. Sun Jian was becoming worried. What if something had happened to her? What if she was captured aswell? It was a risk that Sun Jian was growing tired of taking. He summoned Lu Xun to the palace to speak with him. _" Lu Xun i grow tired of waiting. I am worried about Tiānshǐ and we have heard nothing of her all week. It is time to act. Prepa_.." Everyone had heard it. A distant trumpet sound on the horizon. Everyone ran to the gates and looked towards the sunset. As they wondered if they were hearing things, The sound echoed throughout Wu again. As Sun Jian tried to see where it came from, a small light on the horizon began to move towards Nanman. There was a small group of lights following it until a large explosion erupted and the screams of dying soldiers filled the night. _" Get a search party out there NOW! I want to know what happened and who they were chasing! "_ Sun Jian looked back towards the horizon as Sun Shang Xiang , Lu Xun and Sun Ce rode towards the explosion with a group of soldiers. When they arrived however, it was a gruesome scene. There were pieces of shrapnel everywhere and dead soldiers...or parts of them atleast..scattered around the area. _" This looks like one of Tiānshǐ`s metal bombs..Nothing else could have done this.."_ Shang Xiang sounded shocked at what she was seeing. Before she could say much more than that, Lu Xun shouted. _" Over Here! I found something! "_ As Sun Ce and Shang Xiang reached him, He held up a small piece of red cloth with a dragon on it. _" It was her.. These must be Wei soldiers...Lu Xun get back to the city and tell Sun Jian. Me and Ce will go to Nanman and find out who it was they were actually chasing. "_ Lu Xun nodded and rode back to the city with the cloth in his hand. After telling Sun Jian what happened, Sun Jian sent Xing Cai , Guan Ping , Lu Bu and Diao Chan after Sun Ce and Shang Xiang. _" Finally...she has returned.." _Sun Jian thought to himself as he watched the group disappear into the distance.

**Within two days Shang Xiang , Sun Ce , Lu Bu , Guan Ping , Xing Cai and Diao Chan had arrived in Nanman. When they arrived however Lady Zhu Rong had not seen Tiānshǐ.**

_" What do you mean you havent seen her? She was heading this way when that explosion went off! " _Zhu Rong shook her head. _ " It was not Tiānshǐ_ _that arrived_ _here two days ago. It was her daughter. " _They all stood in shock before following Zhu Rong to the tent where Qǐ Shì lù was resting. As they entered Qǐ Shì lù sat up and looked at Shang Xiang sadly. _" We failed...im sorry.." _Shang Xiang shook her head and hugged Qǐ Shì lù gently as tears fell down her cheeks. _" You failed no one. What happened? Where is __Tiānshǐ_? "Qǐ Shì lù looked up at her shakily before speaking. _" I don't know..she put me on a horse and sent me here. Last i saw she was fighting some Wei soldiers and was hit by an arrow...i havent seen or heard from her since. That was at the border of Shu. "_ Shang Xiang hugged her again gently. _" It is ok. We will find her. You stay here and rest. Zhu Rong will keep you safe." _Shang Xiang stood and turned to the others. _" Sun Ce , Guan Ping and Xing Cai stay here and watch over her. Send word to Sun Jian and tell him where we are and what is happening. Lu Bu and Diao Chan come with me. We are going to search for her. " _they all nodded and set out immediately. They stopped to make camp a day ride away from Shu`s border to rest. _" Make camp here..we will continue tomorrow. "_

**There it is Chapter 20! Will ****Tiānshǐ be found or will her friends find something they don't want to see? Read next chapter to find out!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Beginning Of The End**

**Chapter 21**

**The Next Day...**

**As the search party arrived back at the capital from the Nanman lands, a Wei messenger arrived. He simply handed Sun Jian a note nd left without a word. **

_" Wei will pay dearly for this. " _Sun Jian spoke softly but furiously as he read the note. Lu Xun stepped forward. _" What is it my lord? Word of Lady_ _Tiānshǐ_? " Sun Jian sighed hesitantly before handing Lu Xun the note. As Lu Xun read it , he almost broke into tears. The note read _ " Lord Sun Jian. Lady Tiānshǐ has been captured and is being held __prisoner. If you wish to see her again you will surrender the two young girls my men captured at the Shu border. Make your choice. Lord Cao Pi. "_ Lu Xun ripped the note in half before running to the barracks to gather some men. _" I need 10 soldiers for a rescue mission. Lady Tiānshǐ is being held prisoner in Wei. This mission will be highly dangerous. " _One of the soldiers stood and stepped forward. _" My Lord any one of us would die gladly to see our Lady safely back in Wu. I volunteer. " _Lu Xun smiled and nodded as more and more soldiers volunteered. A few hours later Lu Xun and 25 of Tiānshǐ`s most loyal soldiers were armed and ready to march. Just before they could leave Sun Jian burst into the barracks. _" Lu Xun Stop! This mission is suicide. Tiānshǐ would not want you to throw your life away so carelessly. "_ Lu Xun and all his volunteers stopped but before Lu Xun could speak, the soldiers said it for him. _" Lady Tiānshǐ would do no less for any of us. __If we die my lord then we die knowing that we did our best for the Dragon Of Wu. It is our honour to die for her and we will die fighting to bring her home. " _Sun Jian was speechless. No other general in Wu had such loyalty from the soldiers. Before he could speak however, the soldiers and Lu Xun had walked past him , mounted and were riding towards Wu. Shang Xiang had been standing outside listening and walked in as they left. _ " You can`t blame them father. Tiānshǐ is a symbol of hope for our people. Our soldiers will follow her to hell and back if she ordered it. No other general in Wu or otherwise can inspire such loyalty from they`re soldiers. We must bring her home at all costs. " _Sun Jian simply nodded as Shang Xiang and her messenger rode swiftly after Lu Xun. When they caught up, Lu Xun was surprised to see Shang Xiang. _" Shang? What are you doing here? " _Shang Xiang smiled and hugged him gently. _" She is my family too Xun. I will negotiate with Cao Pi while you rescue Tiānshǐ. We must get her home. Her daughters need her as much as you do. "_ Lu Xun nodded and told the soldiers to make camp for the night.

_**" Tiānshǐ do you swear loyalty to Wei? Do you swear loyalty to Lord Cao Pi? " **_**Tiānshǐ spat towards Cao Pi. _" I would rather die! "_ Cao Pi Smirked. _" As you wish. Kill Her! "_ As Cao Ren`s blade descended upon Tiānshǐ`s head, Lu Xun awoke screaming. **

_" NOOOOOOOOOOO! "_ Lu Xun sat up sweating as Shang ran into his tent. _" Xun whats wrong?! "_ Lu Xun told her about his dream as Shang handed him a cup of tea. _" Xun it was just a dream. She will be ok I promise. "_ Lu Xun hugged her before she left to get ready. It was almost time to leave for Wei.

**An hour later...**

As they were leaving, a villager ran into the camp and collapsed at the feet of Shang Xiang. _" Lady Shang Xiang...I bring a message...from Lady Zhu Rong. " _Shang Xiang knelt beside him. _" What message? "_ The messenger took a deep breath before sitting up and speaking. _" Your ride to Wei is in vain. Lady Tiānshǐ is not there. "_ Shang Xiang gasped in surprise. _" Where the hell is she then?! "_ Lu Xun handed the villager some tea. _" She is being taken to Shu. A group of Shu generals heard of her capture and assaulted the capital. They rescued her and took her back to Liu Bei. " _Shang Xiang placed a hand on his shoulder gently. _" Thank you. Take a horse and ride home. We will see to Lady Tiānshǐ. "_ As she stood the villager took hold of her arm. _" Lady Zhu Rong is at the border with an army. She awaits you. " _ Shang Xiang nodded and mounted her horse. _" Leave a horse for this man and some food and water. We ride for the Shu border! " _Before midday they had almost reached the border. The closer they got to Zhu Rong`s position, the more dead soldiers they came across. Soldiers from both Wei and Shu. Shang Xiang thought this was most curious but did not stop. They rode for a few more hours before they saw Zhu Rong`s flag on the horizon. Zhu Rong greeted them herself. _" You got my messenger then? Good. I gathered my army and rode for Wei after you left our lands with Tiānshǐ`s daughter. Are they recovering well?_ " Shang Xiang hugged Zhu Rong gently. _" They are recovering slowly but at least its progress. Thank you for sending a messenger. How did you find her? "_ Zhu Rong smiled. _" The dead soldiers you most likely noticed on your way here were her escort to the capital of Wei. Shu wiped them out but the generals managed to escape with her and took her to Cao Pi. When we arrived, Shu was still here deciding what to do. Liu Bei himself led the assault on the Wei capital and rescued Tiānshǐ. I decided to keep my distance until you arrived._ _What are we going to do? "_ Shang Xiang sighed softly and thought for a moment before hearing what sounded like cavalry in the distance. After about half an hour, Zhang Liao, now adorned in the red of Wu, arrived with two regiments of cavalry. _" Lord Sun Jian has sent us to help. A villager on his way home told us where to find you. He also sends his gratitude for the provisions and horse you gave him. And before you ask..I am not a spy. I have sworn loyalty to Tiānshǐ. Let us bring her home. " _Shang Xiang smiled. _" Alright but first I need you and Lu Xun to ride into Shu with me. The army will wait outside the capital. I will negotiate with Liu Bei. But first we will rest. Make camp here. "_

**It was quiet that night. Too quiet. It was as if every animal had fled the area...there was no wind...no sounds at all...Shang Xiang was concerned that Liu Bei was expecting them to assault the capital despite the peace. Shang Xiang did not sleep that night. Neither did the soldiers. They stayed awake all night until sunrise. By midday they were at the city gates.**

_" I have come for The Dragon Of Wu. I wish to speak with Liu Bei immediately. My army will remain outside your city until a decision is made. " _Guan Yu was standing atop the gates and nodded to let them through. _" Escort them to my brother. He will be most anxious to speak with Lady Shang Xiang. "_ As Shang Xiang , Zhang Liao and Lu Xun entered the city, they were surrounded by Shu soldiers. _" I come in pea..." _Guan Yu interrupted. _" I am well aware of why and how you have come Lady Shang Xiang. Come. My brother awaits you. "_ As they entered the palace they saw Tiānshǐ laying on a large bed with healers tending her wounds. _" Ah the young Lady Shang Xiang. Welcome to Shu. How may I be of service? "_ Shang Xiang ran to Tiānshǐ`s side but she was unconscious. _" I request the immediate release of Lady Tiānshǐ."_ Liu Bei smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. _" I understand but that is not possible. Moving Tiānshǐ would kill her. Her wounds are very severe and she was beaten quite harshly by Cao Pi. She must remain here until she is healed. Our healers have worked sleeplessly through the night to make her well. She is recovering but we need more time to heal her wounds properly. "_ Shang Xiang nodded as a tear fell down her cheek and she leant her head on Tiānshǐ`s hand. _" I am sorry sister...i should have gone with you..." _Lu Xun looked heartbroken as he watched Shang Xiang. Liu Bei knelt beside Shang and put his arm around her. _" She will be alright. You have my word. We will do absolutely everything within our power to help her heal. However I require something in return. Since my men and I assaulted the Wei capital, Cao Pi will no doubt bring war upon my people. I wish a permanent peace with Wu. My heart has no desire to bring harm to Lady Tiānshǐ or her people and I cannot fight Wei alone__. You are most welcome to stay here with Tiānshǐ but the army that has followed you must leave...I will not harm any of you and if I try I promise that you may kill me without consequence. "  
_ Shang Xiang looked at him before turning to Lu Xun. _" Xun send the army home. Give a message to the cavalry to deliver to Sun Jian. Tell Zhu Rong that she may stay here but her forces must leave. "_ Lu Xun nodded and left. Liu Bei summoned his advisor and wife. Both Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang approached. _" You summoned us my lord? "_ Liu Bei stepped forward. _" Yes. Zhuge Liang you will help the healers. Do everything in your power to heal Lady Tiānshǐ. Yue __Ying you will arrange somewhere for our Wu guests to stay. Be sure they are comfortable. "_ Both of them nodded and set about they`re tasks. Shang Xiang however, refused to leave Tiānshǐ`s side. _" No. I want to stay with her..i won`t rest until she is well again. "_ Liu Bei nodded as a tall warrior in plate armor stepped forward. _" Shang Xiang. This is Ma Chao. He will be escorting Lady Tiānshǐ home when she has recovered. As will my two brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. We will make sure that she gets home safely. "_

**Three weeks later Tiānshǐ was almost fully healed but she had not awoken since Shang Xiang and the army arrived. Everyone was worried that she may not awaken at all.**** Pang Tong had been studying it in Wu before arriving in Shu to offer his aid.  
**

_" I have read about this strange sleeping and it seems it happens after the person endures a great amount of pain or suffers extensive damage to the brain. Did she have any head injuries when you recovered her Lord Liu Bei? " _ Liu Bei shook his head. _" It must be due to the amount of pain she suffered in Wei. Cao Pi had beaten her to the brink of death before we resc..." _Before he could finish speaking, Tiānshǐ had stirred slightly at the sound ofvoices. Shang Xiang immediately knelt beside her and held her hand. _" Tiānshǐ__? Can you hear me? "_ Tiānshǐ sighed softly and stirred slightly before what sounded like a whisper escaped her lips. _" Sh..Shang.. " _A tear fell down Shang Xiang`s cheek and she kissed her sisters forehead gently. _" I'm here Tiānshǐ. I'm not going anywhere. " _Tiānshǐ seemed to smile slightly before slipping back into her slumber. Pang Tong was the first to speak. _" Well that's progress. At least she is aware of her surroundings. The healers work must be doing its job. "_ Liu Bei nodded as Zhuge Liang spoke. _" It was not the healers. Zhu Rong made her a special medicine from the herbs in the Nanman Lands that accelerated the healing process. And Yue Ying has made quite sure that her bandages are changed every few hours. The healers have only stitched the wounds. However they`re help is recognised. "_ The healers nearby bowed and left the palace. As they left, the Shu blacksmith entered with Tiānshǐ`s weapons and armor. _" Fully repaired as you requested my lord. Also her saddle was damaged beyond repair so I fashioned her a new one. I also made her some armor for her horse. Seemed a pity to let such a fine steed ride unprotected. " _The blacksmith bowed and left. _" It would seem that The Dragon Of Wu is almost a fortress unto herself. " _Liu Bei smiled as Shang Xiang giggled softly. _" Liu Bei...d...do you know if she fought well before she was captured? "_ Liu Bei nodded_. " She certainly lived up to her reputation. Numbers were against her but she let nothing stop her. It took the trickery of Cao Pi`s magician to bring her down. " _Shang Xiang looked up at him. _" Magician?..." _Pang Tong spoke next. _" Yes. I believe his name is Sima Yi. " _Shang Xiang looked back at Tiānshǐ. _" He must be a great tactician if he can trick Tiānshǐ..." _Pang Tong spoke again before going to bed. _" Yes. A brilliant strategist_ _but often a touch...arrogant." _Everyone went to bed but Shang Xiang stayed at Tiānshǐ`s bed side wondering how Tiānshǐ was tricked...and why it caused her capture.

**There you have it Chapter 21! Please Read and Review. ^_^**


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